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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25767403">Favorite Prisoner</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aristocass/pseuds/Aristocass'>Aristocass</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:02:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25767403</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aristocass/pseuds/Aristocass</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Azula brushed her hair out of her eyes, looking annoyed. “Oh come now, I realize you’re not the most adept warriors in the world, but surely your training wouldn’t leave you this naive. Or would Avatar Kyoshi have done her all-female warriors the disservice of encouraging them to remain ignorant of the potential consequences of choosing to be a soldier?”</p>
<p>Suki bared her teeth in disgust. “Stay away from me!”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azula/Suki (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>261</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Consequences</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Suki estimated that she and the other Kyoshi Warriors had been held prisoner for about a month.</p><p>“We’re not going to tell you anything!” Suki had spat at the Fire Princess. It was hard to sound fierce with her arms and legs tied together.</p><p>“I know,” the princess replied, kneeling down to Suki’s eye level and tracing a finger down Suki’s cheek. She looked at the smear of white make-up and smiled. “You won’t have to.”</p><p>After they were stripped of their uniforms they had been sent to a prison in the Fire Nation capital. Their time here had been spent largely unmolested and Suki had been content to wait things out until the invasion. Her sisters were nervous, but Suki took it upon herself to keep their spirits up. She assured them that everything was going to be alright. All the situation required was a proper application of neutral jing. She tried very hard to believe her own words.</p><p>The guards harassed them from time to time, but every time Suki stood firm, they eventually backed off. This gave her sisters confidence, but it made Suki uneasy. She noted that they were the only prisoners receiving this treatment and on more than one occasion she was sure a guard was ready to attack her, before a look from another guard seemed to make him think better of it. The others credited Suki with the guards’ wariness of them and Suki decided not to share her concerns. She tried to tell herself that she was overthinking it, that their incarceration was just making her restless and her mind was inventing conspiracies to occupy itself. She ran the girls through training exercises in their cell to distract herself. It helped a little.</p><p>A heavy stone of dread formed in Suki’s stomach when a pair of guards came to their cell and ordered her out. She forced herself not to look as worried as she felt, smiling to her sisters and assuring them again that everything would be fine before stepping into the hallway. Her wrists and ankles were shackled and she was led into a small room with no windows and only a single lantern lighting the area in a dim orange glow. The guards forced her down into the chair, the only piece of furniture in the room.</p><p>“What do you want?” Suki demanded, but the guards didn’t answer. Instead, they opened the door and snapped to attention as a small figure appeared in the doorway.</p><p>“It’s not about what they want,” came a familiar voice. A chill went up Suki’s spine as Princess Azula entered the room, a dangerous smirk on her face. “Leave us,” she ordered the guards.</p><p>“Princess, are you sure that’s wise?” asked one of the guards hesitantly.</p><p>Azula’s smirk fell and she rounded deadly eyes on the guard. “Is the prisoner not properly restrained?” she asked.</p><p>“Y-yes, Princess, of course she is, but-”</p><p>“Ah, I see. So you just think I’m incapable of handling myself against a bound girl, is that it? A girl that I was responsible for capturing in the first place, no less.”</p><p>“No, of course not, Princess. We’ll leave at once,” replied the second guard, grabbing his comrade’s arm and leading him out of the room quickly and shutting the door. The sound of the lock sliding into place echoed in the small room.</p><p>Azula turned her attention back to Suki, folding her arms over her chest. “Alone at last.”</p><p>“What do you want?” Suki growled. “I have nothing to say to you!”</p><p>“Of course you don’t,” Azula replied with a casual shrug. “If you were willing to talk, you’d have already made a bid for your freedom. But you’re loyal to the Avatar. I suppose I could torture you for it.”</p><p>A flicker of blue flame ignited at Azula’s fingertips and Suki shied back despite herself.</p><p>“Oh, relax,” Azula said, clenching her fist to extinguish the flames, “I was only kidding. Honestly, I thought you Kyoshi Warriors were supposed to have a sense of humor. Though I also heard you were fierce and formidable warriors and we see how well that went. How disappointing”</p><p>“Is that why you brought me here, then? To gloat?”</p><p>“Not at all. I just wanted to thank you for your help in conquering Ba Sing Se. We’ve been having a terrible time getting through the wall. But it turns out that they’ll let anybody in so long as they’re wearing the right outfit. It really is lucky you and your little gal pals blundered into our path. It only took a few days to bring the city down from the inside.”</p><p>Suki’s expression changed from confusion to horror. “No. You’re lying! They would have known you weren’t Kyoshi Warriors! Sokka…” Suki quickly bit her tongue.</p><p>Azula raised an eyebrow. “Sokka? Is that the boy with the boomerang?” Ty Lee had mentioned some connection between him and the Kyoshi Warrior, but Azula hadn’t been paying attention. It was too tempting to tune out Ty Lee’s incessant chattering sometimes. Something about being frustrated he’d been more interested in Suki than her. The stab of jealousy brought the memory back. Now she was especially frustrated they hadn’t managed to keep him contained. How he and the Earth King had managed to escape their prison was still a mystery. “I’m afraid he wasn’t there. Was he expecting you? I guess he got tired of waiting. It’s probably for the best, though. He’d have just gotten in the way when we were killing the Avatar. He probably would have gotten himself killed as well.”</p><p>Suki stiffened. No, it couldn’t be possible.</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry, did I forget to mention that the Avatar is dead as well? Silly me. I’ve just been so busy lately, leading troops in to take over Ba Sing Se and all; it must have just slipped my mind. I suppose I should thank you for that as well. I would have brought you the charred remains so you could celebrate the victory properly, but the Avatar’s little pet Waterbender had other plans.” Suddenly, Azula saw some of the tension go out of Suki’s shoulders and she frowned. So her suspicions were correct. The Water Tribe girl could somehow bring about a complication. But how? Not even the Avatar could survive a direct lightning strike like that.</p><p>“I’m going to speak with my father today,” Azula continued. “I’m going to tell him exactly how the Avatar fell. I’ll let him know you did your part. Maybe that will even earn you a pardon.” Suki’s look of concern was too fake and Azula could see the glint of hope in her eyes. Azula found herself feeling annoyed. Didn’t they teach the Kyoshi Warriors how to hide their emotions? Were they really so cocky as to think themselves immune to capture and so forego one of the most important lessons a warrior needed to learn? “Maybe,” she continued, voice becoming low and threatening, “you’ll even have a chance of seeing your peasant boy, again. That is, if I don’t find and kill him first.”</p><p>Suki’s head shot up and she glared at Azula. “You shouldn’t be so confident. You’re not as good as you think you are.”</p><p>“That’s a rather bold statement coming from the person in chains. Do you really think I, the Princess of the Fire Nation, Conqueror of Ba Sing Se, and Slayer of the Avatar could possibly have any trouble slaughtering a useless boy?”</p><p>“He’s not useless.” Suki turned away so Azula wouldn’t see her unease.</p><p>“Oh no?” Azula leaned down, getting uncomfortably close to the warrior. She felt her breath catch for just an instant. “Tell me then, what uses did you find for him?”</p><p>Suki felt a hand snaking its way to her inner thigh. Without thinking, she shoved Azula back. “What do you think you’re doing?” she almost shouted.</p><p>Azula brushed her hair out of her eyes, looking annoyed. “Oh come now, I realize you’re not the most adept warriors in the world, but surely your training wouldn’t leave you this naive. Or would Avatar Kyoshi have done her all-female warriors the disservice of encouraging them to remain ignorant of the potential consequences of choosing to be a soldier?”</p><p>Suki bared her teeth in disgust. “Stay away from me!”</p><p>“Hm. No.”</p><p>Azula closed the distance between herself and Suki with frightening speed. Suki raised her legs, ready to land a ferocious kick to the princess’s chest, but Azula anticipated this. Twisting out of the way, Azula grabbed the chain between Suki’s ankles and yanked hard, pulling Suki off the chair. Suki grunted as her impact with the ground knocked some of the air out of her lungs.</p><p>“That was just embarrassing for you,” Azula said.</p><p>Suki kicked up onto her feet. Azula charged her again, but Suki was quicker this time, spinning around and slamming her fists into Azula’s stomach. Caught off-guard, Azula doubled over, but before Suki had the chance to attack again, Azula caught the chain between her wrists and managed to drag her off her feet. Suki flailed, trying to find purchase, but the chains on her ankles made it impossible to regain her balance. Azula released her cuffs and instead grabbed her arms, slamming her face-first into the wall, pressing her forearm against Suki’s back. As frustrated as Suki was with being bested so quickly, it was with some small satisfaction that she noted Azula was breathing just a little harder than before. She pushed back against the arm across her shoulders, bracing her hands on the wall in front of her, but it was like trying to bend steel.</p><p>Azula shoved her weight forward, pinning the warrior more thoroughly to the wall. “You can’t win. Settle down and I promise I won’t make it hurt...and your friends will be safe.”</p><p>“Don’t you dare touch them, you monster!” Suki spat.</p><p>“Don’t give me a reason to,” Azula whispered in her ear.</p><p>Suki imagined her warriors, her sisters, in the same room as Azula. Chained and frightened without her. As her struggles ceased, she felt Azula’s weight lift. She turned around and faced the princess. Now that Suki really looked at her, she saw how young Azula’s face was despite the wickedness in her eyes. This girl couldn’t be much older than Katara. In fact, she might be younger than any of the Kyoshi Warriors she had captured. Suki was pulled out of her musings by hands reaching for her waist. She pulled back, only to be met by the wall, and instinctively grabbed Azula’s wrists.</p><p>Azula made no attempt to break out of Suki’s grip. Gold eyes met blue and the two stared at each other for a long moment. Suki found herself searching for any sign of humanity anywhere in that fiery gaze. Her heart was racing and her hands trembled weakly.</p><p>“Give me a name.”</p><p>Azula’s voice was so low that Suki almost didn’t hear.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“A name. Give me the name of the one you’d have me bring in here instead of you.”</p><p>Suki’s eyes went wide. Her jaw clenched. Azula twisted her wrists free and began undoing the tie of Suki’s pants. Suki’s breathing sped up and she pressed back harder against the wall, wishing it would give so she could get away from the princess.</p><p>“Relax. I said I wouldn’t hurt you. And I always keep my promises.” The mockery in Azula’s voice was there, but subdued. Suki struggled to steady her breathing, trying not to show fear. “You really should be honored,” Azula continued, pushing down the loose fabric. “Not very many people can say that royalty has knelt before them.” Before Suki could process what had happened, Azula had dropped to her knees, pushed one of Suki’s legs up out of her way as far as the chain would allow, and plunged her tongue inside of her.</p><p>Suki cried out and immediately tried to push Azula away again, but Azula’s free hand quickly grabbed the chain between Suki’s wrists and pinned them to the side.</p><p>“Stop!” Suki gasped. “Stop, please!”</p><p>Azula ignored her and pressed her mouth harder into the apex of Suki’s thighs, flattening out her tongue to cover as much of her as possible.</p><p>Suki bit her lip, trying to stay silent. She could feel herself becoming slick under Azula’s mininstrations. Blinking tears out of her eyes, she tried to block out what was happening.</p><p>Azula noticed Suki’s body tense. She was fighting it. That wouldn’t do. “You can’t hide your thoughts from me. If you could, I wouldn’t know that you think the Avatar somehow survived.” This put Suki’s attention back on her and Azula thrust her tongue as deep inside the warrior as she could, making her yelp again. “There. Isn’t it better to just let it out?” She worked her mouth faster over Suki’s clit and was rewarded with a strangled groan.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter,” Suki said, trying to keep her voice steady. “With or without Aang, they’ll stop you. They’ll-”</p><p>“Rescue you?” Azula interrupted. She slowly got to her feet and pressed her body close to Suki’s. “Will Sokka come and rescue you?” One of Azula’s hands slipped under Suki’s shirt to cup her breast while the other travelled up Suki’s inner thigh. Suki clamped her legs shut too late as Azula’s fingers pressed against her clit. Suki inhaled sharply, but kept her legs closed. “You remember my friend Ty Lee, don’t you?” Azula asked, running her other hand over Suki’s nipple. It was tempting to dig her nails into the soft flesh. “The one who left you and your warriors limp and helpless? Perhaps I should bring her here for another demonstration. Would that make it better for you? If you didn’t have a choice but to lie there and take it?” The nipple under her palm was hard. She leaned in and gently sucked at the side of Suki’s neck, sliding her tongue over Suki’s pulsepoint. The warrior’s sharp intake of breath nearly made her bite down.</p><p>Suki honestly wasn’t sure if it would be better, but whatever Azula was willing to do to her, she would undoubtedly be willing to do to the others. After a bit of prodding from Azula’s invasive, unwanted hand, Suki relaxed her legs. Azula’s fingers quickly got to work massaging Suki’s clit and Suki had to struggle not to lean forward and press herself against the princess’s body.</p><p>“Has Sokka ever done this for you?” Azula whispered. Her fingers stopped their work and began to travel lower. The hand on Suki’s breast shifted so Azula could gently rake her nails down Suki’s side, not hard enough to hurt, but she did feel the warrior shudder involuntarily. Her hand stopped on Suki’s hip. Suki stiffened as Azula extended a finger just at her entrance. Azula stopped when she was met with slight resistance. She smirked as her thumb started gently circling Suki’s clit. “I guess not. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing and I did promise not to hurt you. I’ll give Sokka the honor of making you bleed if he actually does come for you. And when he clumsily shoves himself inside you for the first time, that pain will make you think of me.” Slowly and ever so carefully, Azula pushed her finger inside of Suki and began gently massaging Suki’s inner walls.</p><p>Suki had her eyes shut so tightly it hurt. She didn’t notice Azula had sunk back down to her knees until she felt hot lips pressed against her clit. Unconsciously, Suki bucked, but the hand on her hip held her in place while Azula continued to work. Suki was finding it difficult to continue standing, especially with most of her weight forced onto one leg, but she was determined to hold herself up so as to not to risk adding any more pressure no matter how much her body was craving friction. She struggled to ignore the heat building within her. It was hard to breathe steadily while she was fighting back moans. She hated this. She hated every second and wanted nothing more than for the princess to leave her alone. Azula reached even further into her and Suki bit her lip so hard it bled. She fought with her brain to think of something, anything else. Thoughts of training flashed through her mind. Meeting Aang, Katara, and Sokka. Sokka’s belligerent face when he’d discovered he’d been beaten by women. How cute he’d looked when she’d gotten him into his warrior uniform. She gasped as Azula twisted her finger inside of her and increased the pressure of her tongue. Suki quickly tried to block thoughts of Sokka from her mind. She thought of Kyoshi Island burning, of Aang stopping the flames with the Unagi, of Azula’s sharp nails curled ever so slightly into her hip, what a wonder it was that the finger inside of her was not scratching her up. Her knees buckled for an instant, but Azula was there to hold her up. Her flesh felt like it was on fire and every touch from Azula only made it worse. Suki wished she was burning. She wished she had searing pain flooding her senses right now. Anything but the pulses of pleasure rippling through her every time Azula moved.</p><p>“Stop!” Her voice came out in a choked whisper. Azula ignored her plea, touching deep within her and working her over expertly with her mouth. Pressure was building agonizingly between her legs. She could feel her blood throbbing inside her veins. Every heartbeat was only aggravating the sensations Azula was causing. Sweat was breaking out on her forehead with the effort of resisting. She wouldn’t give in. She couldn’t. She just had to pray Azula got bored and stopped. But the pressure kept building and Suki wanted it gone. She wanted to get back to her cell and forget this had happened. She was almost doubled over with tension. Azula’s lips wrapped around her clit. When she applied the slightest bit of suction, it took everything in Suki not to scream.</p><p>“Please!” Suki was ashamed that the word came out as a sob and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. She kept her hands balled into fists in front of her, terrified of touching her own body.</p><p>Suddenly, just when Suki was beginning to think the torment would never end and the strain would crush her, she felt an overwhelming release. Her body convulsed and her legs gave out, but Azula stood quickly and held her. The orgasm ripped almost painfully through Suki’s body and she had to hold her breath to stop herself from crying out. When she had finally regained control of herself, she found she was leaning on Azula, panting into her padded shoulder. Suki quickly shifted her weight backward to rest against the wall, disgusted with herself for allowing the princess that much contact. Azula extracted her finger carefully, making Suki gasp and her knee gave a threatening wobble.</p><p>Azula casually began wiping her hand off on Suki’s shirt, wiping at her mouth with her own shirtsleeve, correcting the smeared lipstick as best she could. She looked over at Suki who was still panting and trembling against the wall. Azula felt another stab of annoyance. “I knew it wasn’t a waste to let you live. Maybe I <em>should</em> give your friends a try.”</p><p>Despite the weakness in her legs, Suki lunged for Azula only to be pinned back against the wall a moment later.</p><p>“Kidding again.” Azula rolled her eyes. “Weren’t you listening? I always keep my promises. I’ll leave your friends alone so long as you don’t give me any reason to do otherwise. Now,” Azula stepped back and began straightening her hair, “you should probably make yourself decent before the guards come in. I can’t guarantee they’ll be as...agreeable as I am.”</p><p>Suki met Azula’s smirk with a glare. Azula knocked on the door twice. “Open up,” she called. The door was unlocked and opened. “Take her back to her cell,” Azula ordered the guards. They didn’t meet Azula’s eyes or even dare to look up from the ground as they directed Suki back the way she had come.</p><p>When Suki returned to the cell, the others surrounded her.</p><p>“What happened?”</p><p>“What did they do to you?”</p><p>“Your lip is bleeding, did they hurt you?”</p><p>“What did they want?”</p><p>Their questions made Suki’s head spin.</p><p>“Are you crying?”</p><p>Suki’s eyes snapped open. She didn’t know when she had started crying, but her face was wet with tears. She could still feel the moisture coating her inner thighs. Her nerves were still humming with the aftermath of her orgasm. The looks of concern her sisters were giving her felt like pity. Her throat was constricted from a hundred choked back cries and the voice she had strangled for so long was still strained.</p><p>“Ba Sing Se has fallen.”</p><p>Horror came over the girls’ faces and they rushed to embrace her. Suki wrapped her arms tightly around them, comforting them as best she could. They would get through this, she assured them. All they had to do was make it to the eclipse and so long as they had each other, they would remain strong.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Boiling Point</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Azula did not like to describe herself as getting furious. As hot as anger burned, it was cool calculation that always triumphed. So it was very important that she cool down now so she could come up with a plan for if the Avatar was alive. However, that didn’t seem to be going very well as the bathroom had become flooded with steam and the water, which had been a reasonable temperature when she had gotten in, was now turning her pale skin a tell-tale, angry red. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the tile floor.</p>
<p>Very soon, she would need to be in the throne room. She would need to tell the Fire Lord what had happened in Ba Sing Se. No doubt he had already heard several versions of the events. But the only ones who could tell him the details were herself and Zuko. She should have attacked the Waterbender. Damn her traitorous uncle for getting in the way! Did he have any idea what he’d done? A puff of flame shot out between her teeth and her hands gripped the polished marble side of the tub.</p>
<p>The Fire Lord could not find out that the Avatar might be alive. If he knew... If he knew that Azula had failed him....</p>
<p>Azula’s breathing quickened. Her ears were ringing.</p>
<p>The servant girl who was delicately trying to wash Azula’s neck and shoulders with a sweet-smelling cloth gave a sharp gasp as her hand strayed a bit too far down and touched the searing water. Azula grabbed the girl’s wrist when she attempted to recoil, holding her hand just above the surface of the water.</p>
<p>“It’s not the water you should be afraid of,” Azula growled, looking deep into the girl’s frightened eyes.</p>
<p>The girl’s breathing became panicked gasps as heat started building where Azula had grabbed her. “P-please,” she whispered, “please, Princess, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”</p>
<p>The door opened and Azula released the girl’s wrist, immediately standing, ready to attack. It was hard to make out who had entered the room through the steam, but the feather-light, measured footsteps were all-too identifiable.</p>
<p>“Ty Lee, you shouldn’t surprise me like that. I could have burned you to a cinder,” Azula said, sinking back down into the water. She glared up at the servant girl who had her hand clamped over her blistered arm. “You should go get that looked at,” Azula said sweetly. The servant quickly bowed, blinking tears from her eyes, and made for the door, shutting it quietly behind her.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry I startled you, Azula. I was just excited to come visit,” Ty Lee said. “May I?” she added as she began removing her shirt.</p>
<p>“It’s hot,” Azula warned.</p>
<p>“It always is,” Ty Lee replied. She removed the rest of her clothing and took one step down into the enormous bathtub. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the water immediately began turning the flesh of her leg bright pink and then plunged her whole body under the steaming surface. She resurfaced next to Azula. The heat constricted her chest and made her nerves howl with shock, but she ignored it. “How was your trip to the prison? Learn anything more about the invasion?” Ty Lee scooped up the wash cloth which was drifting forgotten just below the surface and began slowly washing Azula’s arm.</p>
<p>“Nothing substantial, yet. Kyoshi Warriors don’t break easily, it would seem. I’ll need more time.”</p>
<p>“I hope you didn’t hurt her face too badly. She was so pretty. Not as pretty as you, of course!” Ty Lee planted a kiss in the center of Azula’s palm.</p>
<p>Azula took her hand back and moved so that she was standing in front of Ty Lee. “We just talked. Had a little heart-to-heart,” she said, taking the cloth from Ty Lee and setting it aside.</p>
<p>“Oh! Building rapport! Very clever! I bet she’ll tell you anything you want to know. You’re so easy to talk to.”</p>
<p>“Ty Lee, what would you do if you were captured by the enemy?” Azula asked, seeming very serious.</p>
<p>Ty Lee cocked her head. Azula was playing a game. Her aura was offering no hints as to whether or not it would be a fun game. “I’d get out and come find you, of course.”</p>
<p>“And if you couldn’t get out?” Azula was inching closer into Ty Lee’s space, forcing her back against the wall of the tub.</p>
<p>The backs of Ty Lee’s knees hit the submerged bench that ran the circumference of the tub and she had to lean backward to continue her retreat. “I’d wait for you to come get me. I know you would as soon as you had the time.”</p>
<p>“I would make time,” Azula said softly, then, grabbing the side of the bathtub on either side of Ty Lee, “And if they interrogated you?”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t tell them anything!” Ty Lee insisted, holding up her hands. “I wouldn’t even think of anything! My aura would be totally blank!”</p>
<p>“And if they interrogated you like this?” Azula asked, leaning forward and kissing Ty Lee’s neck.</p>
<p>Ty Lee sighed and wrapped an arm around Azula’s shoulders, leaning her head back to allow the princess easier access. “I’d think of you,” she whispered as Azula’s hand slid up her inner thigh. She whimpered softly when Azula’s fingers opened her to the boiling hot water, but then Azula was inside her and everything was too wonderful to complain about a little scalding. A bit of pain was to be expected with Azula. Ty Lee wrapped her other arm around Azula’s shoulders and pulled herself closer to kiss her deeply. Azula’s free hand went to Ty Lee’s hip and Ty Lee obediently wrapped her legs around Azula’s waist, taking advantage of the new position to deepen the kiss even further. Azula’s hand then went to Ty Lee’s shoulder and her nails dragged down Ty Lee’s back. Ty Lee whimpered again, feeling specks of blood rising to the surface. The water immediately began attacking the damaged flesh, making staying in the bath almost unbearable, but she didn’t complain. She wouldn’t dare break the contact long enough to complain.</p>
<p>Ty Lee didn’t like to admit it, even to herself, but when she had run away, leaving Azula had given her more pause than leaving her family. This, in particular, Azula’s fingers curling and twisting inside of her, was something she had ached for. Yet, Azula hadn’t so much as touched her since their initial embrace at the circus and she had been worried the princess had lost interest in her in the months she’d been gone. Based on how intensely Azula was thrusting into her now and attacking her neck and shoulders with her mouth, she needn’t have worried so much. Her princess had merely been preoccupied. Now, it seemed, she was making up for lost time. Azula’s teeth dug into her shoulder, forcing Ty Lee to silence herself by pressing her own lips to the princess’s shoulder. Azula released her and Ty Lee’s body went slack only to tense up again as Azula laid claim to her other shoulder. This time, Ty Lee couldn’t stop herself from crying out as Azula raked her back once again. Her hips bucked against Azula’s hand, begging her to go deeper. Azula made a sound almost like a growl and redoubled her efforts. Her princess was feeling particularly demanding today and Ty Lee prepared herself to be in this bath for a long time.</p>
<p>Azula had never been wanting for stamina in any regard and she had a habit of continuing her sparring sessions long after her partners were far too exhausted to reasonably be expected to continue. The same, it seemed, applied to those she took to bed, although Ty Lee couldn’t speak for anyone but herself. There had been occasions when she’d considered using her chi blocking, just to force Azula to give her a break, but by the time she thought of it, she was always too worn out to properly deliver a strike. And if she ever did dare to attack the princess, she didn’t know what the consequences would be and that thought alone was frightening enough.</p>
<p>When Azula pushed her back to sit on the bench, Ty Lee readily complied, taking advantage of her new seated position to open her legs wider. She had to grab hold of the princess’s shoulders for support as Azula’s thrusts became deeper and harder. Her ankles locked behind Azula’s back and she lifted herself up to kiss her again when her first orgasm hit her. She moaned into Azula’s mouth and Azula grabbed her hips, pulling her flush against her body. Ty Lee wanted to grab fistfuls of that beautiful black hair, but managed to maintain her restraint. Not yet. Azula would need to lose herself a little more before that became a forgivable offense. Instead, she ran her hand up and down Azula’s back like she was soothing an easily spooked animal. Azula allowed it for a while as Ty Lee kept her occupied with a demanding tongue exploring her mouth. But then, in the heat of the kiss, Ty Lee became a little too bold and the hand stroking Azula’s back slid around and brushed against the side of the princess’s breast. Before Ty Lee could even properly register her transgression, Azula had spun her around, locked her in place with an arm over her chest, hand at her throat, and entered her again, sharp nails scraping against sensitive flesh. Ty Lee yelped, one hand moving back to grip Azula’s hip as she was taken much more roughly than before. The feeling of Azula’s breasts pressed against her abused back was torturous. She leaned her head back onto Azula’s shoulder, exposing her neck once again to the princess’s fangs. She climaxed again around Azula’s fingers, but Azula added a third finger and continued to thrust just as aggressively, not allowing Ty Lee a moment to relax.</p>
<p>“W-wait, Azu-” The hand at her throat squeezed lightly until she was silent again and then slid down to squeeze her breast, as though taunting her with what she couldn’t have. She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming and the arm around her chest barely kept her convulsions contained. She realized that she had forgotten to let go of Azula’s hip and she had almost certainly dug her fingers into her hard enough to bruise, but this was apparently not an issue as Azula still refused to slow down.</p>
<p>By the time Azula let her go, she was gasping for air and her throat felt like she’d tried to swallow a cactus. When Azula spun her around again to face her, Ty Lee didn’t even try resisting and allowed herself to be pushed back onto the bench. Apparently finished punishing her, this time Azula gently ran her fingers through her folds, teasing the sore, twitching flesh briefly before settling on her clit. Ty Lee moaned and lifted her hips and Azula smirked, rubbing a little harder. Ty Lee laid her head back against the cool tile, lazily thrusting her hips and finally starting to relax. She really should have known better. The difference in the temperature of the water did not register to her until she felt a searing hot mouth cover her sex and she let out a high pitched shriek that echoed off the bathroom walls.</p>
<p>///</p>
<p>Ty Lee wasn’t sure how long Azula had been under the water. She must have come up for air at some point, but Ty Lee didn’t notice. It was hard to watch Azula when her back was arched so far that she could see the wall behind her. Ty Lee guessed with all the gasping she was doing that she was doing enough breathing for the both of them. Her fingers were starting to wrinkle, but she couldn’t be bothered to care. She cried out, again -she didn’t know what number this was, only that it was again- and her thighs clamped shut around Azula’s head. Azula's tongue kept working, dragging out the climax until Ty Lee was biting her own fist to keep herself from making a sound that would shatter the eardrums of the guards waiting outside. She drove her other hand into Azula’s hair, no longer caring what the consequences might be. The delicious taboo of having those gorgeous locks wrapped around her fist kicked off another, smaller set of spasms around Azula’s tongue. </p>
<p>Ty Lee wanted to thank whatever spirit was watching over her when Azula finally surfaced and did not immediately put her hand between Ty Lee’s legs again. Despite having been underwater for several minutes, Azula did not even seem to be breathing hard. Ty Lee, on the other hand, thought the pain in her chest might kill her as she desperately tried to match Azula’s calm, even breaths. Azula wrapped her arms around Ty Lee’s body and she may as well have electrified the water for all the jolts of energy that sent racing through her. For an instant, Ty Lee forgot how sore and exhausted she was and was ready for Azula to take her again.</p>
<p>“Your time in the circus served you well. Your stamina has greatly improved. I hope you didn’t earn it by throwing yourself at whatever filthy stable hand was lying around,” Azula said, with less harshness than she probably intended.</p>
<p>Ty Lee smiled, barely managing to keep herself awake floating in the warm pool safe in her princess’s embrace. “And I didn’t even think it was possible for you to improve,” she slurred back. The raised scores across her back stung comfortingly against Azula’s arm and she nestled her head under the princess’s chin. She ached to touch Azula. The object of her lust was pressed so tantalizingly against her hip. It really would be too easy to slip her hand down and pay Azula back in kind. Suddenly, before Ty Lee was finished pondering whether or not the suicidal action would be worth it, she was cold and sinking. Azula had gotten out of the water. Ty Lee whined in protest.</p>
<p>“I have to prepare to see the Fire Lord,” Azula explained like that made it any better. “He wants a full report of what happened in Ba Sing Se.”</p>
<p>Ty Lee sighed in defeat and got out of the tub. Her legs buckled and she was forced to her hands and knees once she no longer had the water to help support her and her core screamed in pleasant agony. It took several minutes before she was able to pull herself back to her feet, heart hammering away in her chest. She would need to get used to recovering, again. The sore spots across her neck and shoulders would probably be covered by her shirt. The scratches down her back however...</p>
<p>“Your shawl is still in my room,” Azula said, reading Ty Lee’s mind. She knew that Ty Lee would wear the marks with pride if she’d let her. They made her stand out from her sisters. But decorum commanded Azula to at least pretend she wasn’t ravaging a nobleman’s daughter. Azula caught Ty Lee’s hand before she could leave the bathroom. “Come back tomorrow,” she said and placed a kiss on Ty Lee’s lips much more gently than she had before.</p>
<p>Ty Lee smiled serenely and hurried off to find her shawl, ignoring the raised eyebrows of the guards as she passed by, hair still dripping wet as Azula exited the bathroom after her. A sharp look from the princess shut the guards’ thoughts firmly to the backs of their minds.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Transfer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this?” Suki groaned. If she kept the princess talking, she’d at least have to keep her sinful mouth off of her. Azula's hand was not much better, but that wicked tongue was too much. This was the fifth time Azula had visited her and she had remained true to her word. Despite how many insults Suki hurled at her, as often as she struggled in vain, Azula had not hurt her. Suki was learning that there were things far worse than pain.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not?” Azula answered simply, kneeling on the dirty dungeon floor in front of Suki’s chair. “You’re my prisoner. And I want to.” She punctuated each sentence by lathing her tongue over Suki’s clit, forcing the warrior to bite back moans and shudders.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If we’d taken you prisoner, we would have never-” Suki’s breath hitched as Azula sucked hard on her clit, making her hips jerk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How lucky for me, then. And how unfortunate for you,” Azula answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bile threatened to rise in Suki’s throat, but she swallowed it down. As satisfying as it would be to desecrate the princess of the Fire Nation, she wasn’t willing to humiliate herself further. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Despite touching every inch of the warrior’s body, Azula had never forced Suki to touch her in return, and for that at least Suki was grateful. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to wash that stain away. As it was, she could feel her skin crawling with the ghosts of Azula’s hands well after she had been returned to her cell. She had made sure not to cry in front of her sisters, again. She’d convinced them the guards had only been talking to her and, aside from threatening her, she hadn’t been hurt. The last part, at least, was true. And that was the worst of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This would be even better if you’d just stop fighting it,” Azula had hissed cruelly during her third visit as Suki had writhed unwillingly against her. Suki swore that, no matter how many times Azula forced her into this degrading position, she would never give in. If she couldn’t stop her body from betraying her, she would at least force Azula to fight her every step of the way.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula, unfortunately, seemed to have all the patience in the world. Slowly but surely she broke through the layers of resistance Suki put up, finding every little crack and weakness in her resolve until finally Suki would break for her. She would make a devastating Earthbender, Suki thought, choking back a whimper as Azula stroked the traitorous bundle of nerve endings inside of her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The princess was laying it on thick today. She was already in the cell when Suki was brought in and she had appeared particularly agitated. Where she usually took a few minutes to taunt Suki, today she had wasted no time lunging for her. Suki had tried to dodge away from her, but the chains on her ankles didn’t let her move very fast and Azula was upon her in an instant, kicking her legs out from under her and following her to the ground, carefully cradling Suki against her to ensure she didn’t hit her head. Suki had struggled and fought, but Azula pinned her down too easily and forced herself between Suki's legs with harsh, aggressive movements. She'd pushed up Suki's shirt, sucking at one breast and then the other while her fingers worked frantically over Suki's clit. Suki tried to twist away, but Azula’s free hand held her in place and kept her from getting the leverage she needed to break free. The pressure and pace of Azula’s fingers were overwhelming and almost, but not quite, painful and, mixed with the oh-so-hot mouth on her breasts, the sensory overload made it almost impossible for Suki to focus on anything else. Through sheer brute force, Azula ripped her orgasm out of her so quickly that Suki couldn’t even try to prevent the deep moan that escaped her throat or the sharp buck of her hips into Azula’s hand. As mortifying as that was, it wouldn’t have been so bad if Azula had left it at that like she usually did. Today, however, once was apparently not enough. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After Suki settled down, she'd tried to push Azula off of her, but Azula had slipped her middle finger inside her and began grinding her hand once more against Suki's sex. Still dazed and hypersensitive from her first orgasm, Suki gasped and her back arched involuntarily. Azula slid her other hand up to Suki's hair, not pulling but gripping tight enough to hold Suki's head still as Azula whispered in her ear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You can call out to Sokka if you like. I won't be offended. It'll probably be the only time you scream his name in pleasure."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki squeezed her eyes shut and let out a long groan, though from Azula's words or what Azula was doing to her, she wasn't sure. The princess's hand left her hair and instead began massaging one of her breasts while her mouth worked on the other, sucking and nipping at the flesh but faithfully, aggravatingly, never causing pain. Every stroke of the finger inside of her sent a shiver down her spine. Azula knew exactly where to touch and how and there was nothing Suki could do but feel it. When Suki reached climax again, she forced herself to cough to cover up a gasp of pleasure. Azula continued to grind her hand hard against her, dragging out the sensation until Suki’s body jolted as another wave hit her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But still the princess was not satisfied and after another struggle she had forced Suki into the chair and spread her legs to put her mouth where it could do the most damage. Suki's eyes had rolled back and she hated that the urge to shove Azula away was only slightly stronger than the urge to grab her hair and pull her closer. Azula had first soothed the hypersensitive area with long, slow licks, as though trying to savor the evidence of her victory over the warrior as much as possible before plunging her tongue inside of her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki was panting very hard now and she'd been impressed that she'd managed to speak. But when Azula threw Suki's legs over her shoulders and grabbed her hips to pull her even closer, talking was no longer an option if Suki wanted to keep herself from crying out. Azula’s tongue writhed against her like a snake, her mouth covering and sucking at Suki’s sex until Suki wasn’t sure if she wanted to sob from distress or pleasure.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Block it out. Be like a stone. Block it out!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki bit down hard on her bruised tongue, filling her mouth with the taste of blood. Her body curled in on itself as she tried to force herself not to convulse. But with her shackled ankles trapped against Azula's back and Azula's hands still tightly gripping her hips, there was no escape and Suki threw her head back with a noiseless cry that turned into a moan. Her body spasmed and each jerk tore another groan from her throat. Azula’s self-satisfied smirk burned into the backs of Suki's eyelids.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But the princess did something strange, then. Turning her head, she began planting feather-light, almost chaste kisses to Suki’s inner thighs. Her demeanor changed entirely. Gone was the triumphant, domineering conqueror. In her place was a girl who was private, quiet, a girl Suki did not know. While Azula always took great pains not to hurt Suki, this act was specifically gentle, intimate, almost timid.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Apologetic?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki banished the thought. That was impossible. This was just another demented game.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, Azula disentangled herself from Suki's legs and stood. The air in the room shifted as the proper princess returned and the world fell back into the natural order; the only evidence that it had been disturbed being the lipstick stains on Suki’s thigh. Azula gripped Suki's chin and lifted her head, gentleness gone, but Suki stubbornly kept her eyes shut. She could smell herself all over the princess’s hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this any way to say goodbye to a friend? We won’t be seeing each other for a while, you know.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki opened her eyes, cursed herself for giving in to the temptation when she saw the victory on Azula’s face, but couldn’t keep her heart from fluttering with hope. Was she finally going to be free of her tormentor?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, unfortunately, you’re set to be transferred today.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki’s heart dropped. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t think we’d be stupid enough to keep rebel leaders here in the capital while your little friends are planning an invasion, did you? Or were you hoping Sokka would come and save you then?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She had hoped they would come for her, but she wasn’t relying on the Fire Nation’s stupidity. She knew better than to think they were stupid. She had been more relying on their ignorance. But it was her own stupidity and hopefulness that let her think Azula had not somehow learned about the invasion plan. The devil girl seemed to know everything. It suddenly occurred to Suki that her pants were still around her ankles and she scrambled, very ungracefully, to pull them up before Azula called the guards in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds like you’re scared they might succeed. If you all are so powerful, why do you need to bother sending me away?” Suki didn’t sound as confident as she meant to. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s lip twitched and she looked like she wanted to hit her then, but remembered her promise at the last second and instead cupped Suki’s face in her hands. “There’s a difference between fear and caution. You’ll want to learn that where you’re going. I promise you, the guards won’t be nearly as welcoming there.” An odd expression passed through Azula’s eyes, but vanished before Suki could identify it. “Guards!” she called, suddenly, “your prisoner is ready for transport!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Now?” Suki cried as the guards came in. She was so distracted that she didn’t even resist when they grabbed her arms.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not now?” Azula shot back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The others-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are not important enough to bother with,” Azula interrupted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki’s eyes stung. “Let me say goodbye,” she begged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula scoffed. “Why would I do that?” When Suki hung her head, Azula walked over and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Suki was too upset to even cringe away from her. “Hey, cheer up. Look on the bright side, you’re getting this transfer because you’re such an important political prisoner. You should be honored. And now you don’t have to worry about protecting them. Trust me, you won’t want to have to worry about anyone but yourself.” Suki whispered something that Azula couldn’t hear. “What?” she snapped, getting sick of this conversation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t hurt the others!” Suki repeated more clearly. “I did what you wanted. You said it yourself, they’re not important. Leave them alone!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula shrugged nonchalantly. “You have my word. I will not touch your friends.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No one</span>
  </em>
  <span> is to touch them!” Azula frowned and made to respond, but Suki interrupted her. “Or do you not have as much power here as I thought?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s eyes narrowed. She glanced at the guards who quickly found interesting spots on the floor to look at. She was annoyed but impressed despite herself. “Your little friends will be fine. Not that they’re worth much, but I prefer the look of them without greasy pawprints all over them anyway. Now take her away. I would hate for our honored guest to miss her first airship ride. I’ll make sure Sokka gets forwarded your address.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki’s anxiety threatened to consume her. But at least Sokka had a chance to free the others. And wherever they were taking her, she knew he would find her there, too. He had to.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You seem frustrated, Daughter. What’s troubling you?” Fire Lord Ozai said behind a wall of flames.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From her position kneeling in front of the throne, Azula thought about how beautiful this room would look if it were lit blue instead of orange. “Nothing, Father,” Azula answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Speak,” Ozai ordered with a warning growl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula lowered her knee and deepened her bow, deepened her submission to assure the Fire Lord she meant no disrespect. She could try to lie, but the ringing in her ears that had been tormenting her since she’d learned about the transfer was making it hard to think. And her father probably already knew what was on her mind. No, he definitely knew. “I don’t understand why we sent those prisoners away. Our plan for the invasion is perfect. The rebels won’t have a chance of breaching the prison.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You wanted to keep the Kyoshi Warrior,” Ozai said, knowingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s hardly a great leader. I don’t see what threat she poses.” Azula’s heart was hammering in her chest. She should have tried lying. She shouldn’t have let on that she was feeling anything at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve been too distracted with this prisoner. I don’t want your attention divided. I don’t need you getting sloppy.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s head shot up. “I’ve never been-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough!” The flames in front of the throne grew larger, more wild, making the heat in the room overwhelming.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula quickly lowered herself again. Only when her forehead finally touched the polished floor did the heat start to die down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I encourage you to have your playthings, but now is not the time for your games. How can I expect you to have a singular focus on your mission when all you can think about is rushing back to your toys? We are very close, now. When the war is won, then you can have all the leisure time you want. But until then, I need your mind focused, do you understand?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Fire Lord,” Azula answered, softly but with conviction. With that, she stood, bowed a final time, and left the throne room.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Uh oh.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Pain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was always hot at Boiling Rock. Suki was beginning to wonder if she would ever feel cool again. Even the rare breeze was so choked with humidity that it was almost better to just have the air still. Little attempt was made to keep the inside of the prison any cooler than the outside. The reek of sweaty bodies was everywhere. Suki thought she would get used to it, eventually, but when a particularly large man ran past her, waving his arms over his head, shrieking at whoever it was that had insulted him, she was convinced that it would be impossible. She’d either suffocate or cook to death. Alone in her cell was the only place she found some semblance of relief. The pathetic mat that passed for a bed was far too stifling and smelled rancid so she spent most of her time lying on the metal floor which was ever so slightly cooler than the air. But it was too uncomfortable to sleep on and exhaustion would eventually force her onto the giant sweat sponge.</p>
<p>She was just starting to drift off, almost able to block out the horrid stench beneath her, when her cell door opened. Immediately, Suki was alert. No one had bothered her much thus far, but she’d seen enough of the way things worked here to know that her cell door opening unexpectedly was not a good thing. One of the female guards strolled in. Suki recognized her but didn’t know her name. She did know, however, that this guard was particularly unpleasant. A male guard closed the cell behind her, staying outside but opening a small window near the top of the door to continue leering in.</p>
<p>“Stand facing the wall, prisoner,” the female guard ordered.</p>
<p>“Is there a problem?” Suki asked, not moving from her cot. A bead of sweat rolled down her spine.</p>
<p>“I said face the wall!” the guard snapped again, brandishing her baton threateningly.</p>
<p>Suki held up her hands and stood, turning toward the wall by the head of her cot.</p>
<p>“Hands on the wall,” the guard growled, shoving Suki so that she had to catch herself by throwing her hands forward. “Feet apart.” The guard tapped her baton against Suki’s knees until she obediently spread her legs apart. She heard the guard sheath her weapon and then felt rough hands start pawing her shoulders and back. “Can’t be too careful with these Kyoshi Warriors. Never know what they might be trying to turn into a weapon next. Fans. Toothpicks. Spoons,” the guard said, patting down the outsides of Suki’s legs and then up the inside.</p>
<p>“I don’t have anything,” Suki insisted as the guard continued to work her way up. Her muscles twitched with every touch.</p>
<p>“That’s what they all say,” the guard said, standing close behind Suki and sliding her hands up Suki’s stomach. “But like I said, you can never be too careful.”</p>
<p>Two hands cupped Suki’s breasts over her shirt, massaging slightly. They moved down and back up under her tunic, palming her more roughly now. Suki squeezed her eyes shut, hoping the guard would just leave it at this and let her be. The guard’s hands were rougher than Azula’s, but Azula’s were firmer, calloused by training and then painstakingly smoothed. The guard also didn’t seem invested in making Suki enjoy this. She squeezed and pulled uncomfortably, selfishly at Suki’s flesh. Oddly, Suki found herself relieved at the rough treatment. The discomfort kept her mind sharp, her anger hot, her lust silent. Then, one of the hands left her breast and began sliding into her pants. </p>
<p>“No!” Instinctively, Suki threw her head back, ready to break the guard’s nose. What she’d forgotten to account for, however, was the nose-guard on the helmet. The back of her head collided with the sharp metal, making pain shoot through her skull. The guard grunted and backpedaled, releasing her grip. That was enough. Suki spun around, but the guard already had her baton drawn in one hand and flames licking up the other.</p>
<p>“You little bitch,” the guard spat. </p>
<p>From the door, the other guard chuckled. “Told you she’d put up a fight,” he said, clearly not at all concerned for his companion’s safety.</p>
<p>“We’ll see how much fight she’s got left in her when I’m through,” the female guard growled. The flames on her arm grew hotter. The humidity left the room. She threw a reckless punch of fire straight at Suki’s head. </p>
<p>Suki quickly ducked and tried to roll out of the way. Evidently this was a game the guards were used to because the baton came down hard on her back right where she’d attempted to retreat. The blow tore through her spine and muscles and nearly tore a scream from her throat. Suki barely managed to catch herself with her hands before she collapsed on the metal floor. A second and third blow landed on her shoulder and Suki rolled in pain. The guard was over her in an instant, planting a heavy boot on Suki’s chest and aiming another fireball at her face.</p>
<p>“Done yet?”</p>
<p>Suki held up her hands again in defeat. She may have been an important enough political prisoner to send away, but that didn’t mean she was important enough not to kill, or at least maim. What good would it do her to be beaten and burned beyond recognition except make her less likely to survive until her escape?</p>
<p>“There’s a good girl.” The guard removed her foot from Suki’s chest. “Now, let’s try this again, shall we? On your knees, prisoner.”</p>
<p>Dread filled Suki’s heart, but she didn’t hesitate again. Ignoring the pain shooting through her back, she maneuvered onto her knees, keeping her head bowed. She heard the guard unfastening her pants and her breath caught in her throat. Suddenly, the guard grabbed her hair, yanking her head back. Her sore scalp screamed in protest. She gritted her teeth but didn’t make a sound, staring at a spot just over the guard’s shoulder. The guard ran a thumb over Suki’s lower lip and Suki resisted the urge to shudder.</p>
<p>“You are a pretty one. Be a shame to have to burn that face. You’re gonna behave now, aren’t you?” the guard asked, leering down at her.</p>
<p>Suki couldn’t nod with the grip on her hair so she forced herself to choke out, “Yes,” as sincerely as she could manage.</p>
<p>“Good. Now, let’s see those legendary Kyoshi Warrior skills,” the guard said. </p>
<p>The thumb that was tracing Suki’s lips slipped onto her tongue when she opened her mouth to speak. The guard dug her fingernail into Suki’s tongue until she grimaced in pain before finally retracting the digit. “I don’t have my fans,” Suki hissed, her hands balling into fists on her knees, “but maybe if you gave me a toothpick...</p>
<p>“Don’t play stupid. We all know about Avatar Kyoshi’s special proclivities,” the guard outside snickered.</p>
<p>“Yeah, let’s see that wisdom she passed down to her acolytes,” the female guard said, pushing Suki’s face closer to her exposed crotch.</p>
<p>Suki felt her cheeks grow hot with anger. She’d heard the jeers before, even in the Earth Kingdom. And of course she shouldn’t have expected respect for Kyoshi from the people who had been trying to hunt down and kill the Avatar for the past hundred years. But now wasn’t the time for her righteous indignation. Avatar Kyoshi did not need Suki to come to her rescue. Suki could have used Kyoshi’s help now, though, or at least one of her sisters.</p>
<p>She could try to fight back, but the ache in her shoulder told her that probably wouldn’t go any better the second time. The guards were too ready for her to try putting up a fight again. She could refuse, but the guards would no doubt beat her again to try to make her comply and then things could escalate out of control. The thought of giving in made her feel weak, but at least she’d be alive. </p>
<p>The guard’s grip tightening on her hair told her she was running out of time to think. With no way to fight and nowhere to run, Suki knew she didn’t have much choice but to follow the path in front of her. Literally. Perhaps if she could distract the guard well enough, she could attack when her guard was down and gain the upper hand. The second guard would prove problematic, but if she got the first one down fast enough, she was fairly confident she could handle him.</p>
<p>Suki wasn’t exactly experienced with this, but she had been intimately shown what to do by someone who most certainly did have experience. The idea that her time with Azula was in any way beneficial made her sick, but a warrior knew to use any trick at their disposal. Trying to divorce the knowledge from the context, Suki allowed her head to be forced fully into the apex of the guard’s thighs, sticking her tongue out and pressing it firmly against the guard’s clit, making her moan. The acrid taste and overwhelming scent of sweat and musk almost made her gag, but she fought it back and continued. Her tongue hurt where the guard had dug her nail in. Every twist of her tongue that imitated the princess was met with a jolt of pain and Suki thought it was a fitting punishment for daring to emulate Azula, even for survival. The guard sighed and the grip on Suki’s hair lessened until the hand was only cupping the back of her head to keep her in place. Suki felt a hint of satisfaction and quickly told herself it was relief at knowing she wasn’t the only one who could be so easily undone.</p>
<p>The guard began thrusting her hips against Suki’s face as she continued to work. Suki considered using her hands, but decided against it. There was no need to do more than necessary. The guard’s knees were beginning to buckle. At this point, Suki knew she could probably throw her to the ground before she even knew what was happening.</p>
<p>Before she could do anything, though, Suki heard another set of footsteps coming down the hall. The guard shoved her back. Pain shot through Suki’s shoulder as she was forced to catch herself on her injured arm.</p>
<p>“Warden wants everyone on the roof for a meeting,” came a deep male voice outside of Suki’s view. </p>
<p>The guard outside the door grumbled in response and Suki heard the new set of footsteps retreating. “Come on,” he called into the cell, opening the door. He looked almost as annoyed as the female guard as she corrected her uniform.</p>
<p>Before leaving, the guard grabbed the front of Suki’s shirt. “I’ll be back for you,” she said with a cruel smile and shoved Suki back again.</p>
<p>This time, Suki did land on her back and her hiss of pain seemed to give both guards immense satisfaction. Finally alone again, she pulled herself onto her cot, in too much pain to care about the smell. As she laid there in the darkness, her mind treacherously wandered back to Azula.</p>
<p>“Isn’t this better than fighting?” the princess had said when Suki was finally lying still beneath her during her fourth visit. “Doesn’t this feel better than if I just beat you like a dog?”</p>
<p>Suki raised her hand to her injured shoulder. She gave a tight squeeze over the forming bruise. Her hand clenched into a fist and she bit her lip until her eyes started to water. She wanted to cry. She’d been holding it back for her sisters, but they weren’t here. To her disgust, she realized Azula had been right. She was glad they weren’t here. Not just because they were safer, but because she was tired of protecting them. Tired of comforting them. She squeezed harder and a few tears spilled from the corners of her eyes, but it wasn’t the release she was looking for. Still, she kept squeezing, relishing the fact that she didn’t have to feel good right now. There was no lingering haze of euphoria, no shameful wetness between her legs. Just anger and pain. And pain, she decided, gasping for air when she finally released her abused flesh, was infinitely better than anything Azula had done to her. She would fight with everything she had next time and every time thereafter. Even if she was black and blue and scarred, it would still be better than having Azula inside her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey, so does anyone else get creepy vibes when that one guard tries to get into Suki's cell for no apparent reason during the Boiling Rock episode?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Defenses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Azula had barely regained feeling in her fingers by the time the gondola containing the bound and gagged Warden reached the island once more, but she forced herself to lurch forward and grab the man by his vest. Her grip was weak and her knees buckled beneath her almost instantly, but she managed just enough strength to yank the headband out of his mouth and hiss, “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t take you back out over that lake and drop you in.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Princess, I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Too furious to even listen to his excuses and pleas, Azula stuffed the headband back into his mouth and released him, falling off-balance and sprawling onto her back like a helpless turtle-duck. She heard footsteps rushing to assist her and it took every bit of strength she had left not to scream and burn everyone on this cursed island to a cinder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She ordered a hawk be sent to the capital carrying the message of what she needed. By the time the war zeppelin arrived, her body and mind were once again under her total control. But as she boarded the vessel, she froze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are they?” she demanded of one of the guards.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“E-excuse me, Princess?” the guard stammered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My...</span>
  <em>
    <span>The traitors</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Where are they?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They...they’ve been placed in a cell, Your Highness. You said to-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“NO!” Azula hadn’t meant to shout and the guard jumped at her ferocity. “Get them on board a ship. We’re taking them back to the capital.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your Highness, forgive me, but if you wanted to go straight to the Air Temple, wouldn’t it be easier to pick them up on our way back? The prison is much better equipped to keep them contained than the air ships.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not leaving them here,” Azula snarled and, before she could linger on why, added, “There was just a break-out at this location. Do you really think I’m going to trust the fools here to keep control over two traitors of their caliber? Put them on one of the other ships and send it straight back to the capital. I want them in their own cell and no one is to have any unnecessary contact with them until I return and decide what to do with them, do you understand?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“As you wish, Princess.” The guard rushed to obey.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula boarded the ship, ignoring the hammering in her chest, and pretended the ringing in her ears was coming from the propellers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The terrifying escape from the Air Temple aside, it was nice to finally be free again. It would have been nicer still if Suki had something to wear besides her prison clothes. She assumed her armor was locked up somewhere in the Fire Nation palace for the next time it came in useful for one of Azula’s heinous deceptions, or perhaps just as a trophy. Suki swore to herself that as soon as she was finished freeing her sisters, she would find her uniform and never let it leave her again. She missed her make-up. It was so much easier to put on a brave face when there was literally a brave face painted onto her features. But she would have to make do. She was with allies. She was with the Avatar! Victory was so close. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And yet, Azula’s nasty habit of showing up at the worst possible moment was keeping Suki apprehensive. Seeing the princess again at Boiling Rock had been a nightmare come true and Suki was certain she’d been more disappointed than Zuko when Azula had managed to save herself from falling to her death at the Air Temple. The knowledge that she was still out there and could pop up again at any moment made Suki’s skin crawl, but she couldn’t allow herself to dwell on it. If the princess appeared again, they would defeat her, and then Azula would pay for all the horrible things she’d done. Suki would make sure of it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And in the meantime, it felt good to do something normal. Like kiss a boy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki guessed that growing up with only old women and his sister for company didn’t lend itself to offering Sokka many opportunities for kissing practice. He had plenty of enthusiasm, however. Unfortunately, this was one of those times when Sokka was having trouble knowing when to step back and let someone else take the lead. It took some goading for Suki to get him to back down and trust her to take over. But once he finally, did he melted into her leadership and soon she was straddling his lap, running one hand through his short hair and the other over his chest while his hands wandered up her sides to her breasts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki recoiled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” Sokka said quickly, pulling his hands back. “I didn’t mean to offend you or move too fast or-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No no! You’re fine!” Suki insisted, kicking herself for reacting so obviously, berating herself for withdrawing at all. “You just...uh...you tickled me. That’s all.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re ticklish?” Sokka asked, an impish grin spreading across his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t try it,” Suki warned good-naturedly, “or I’ll cowhog-tie you, again.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka blushed, but held up his hands. “No tickling, I promise. Warrior to warrior.” When Suki smiled, he leaned up and began kissing her, again. As the kiss deepened, he ran his hands over her back this time, carefully avoiding applying too much pressure to the still-healing bruise that covered most of her shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t come for you sooner,” he said softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki didn’t want to think about that. She definitely didn’t want him thinking about it. “You came for me at exactly the right time,” she said, kissing him again to shut him up. His hands went to her hips, slipping under the hem of her tunic, brushing against the skin of her lower back. He needed to cut his nails. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki suddenly pushed him down, pinning him on his back. Sokka looked up at her questioningly, wondering if he’d accidentally disturbed her again. Not entirely sure herself what was behind the show of force, Suki again improvised and looked down at his pants where there was a noticeable bulge. She smirked at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka looked back shyly. “Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry...about that…” His face darkened further when Suki slid her hand up his thigh. “I…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You talk too much,” Suki said, beginning to rub her hand over the front of his pants. Sokka opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it again when she moved her hands to his waistband and pulled it down. For once, he seemed speechless. That worked for Suki and she began stroking the length of his shaft. This at least was something blessedly free of any other context in her mind and would keep him from touching her as much so maybe she wouldn’t keep jumping and giving him the wrong impression. It wasn’t exactly what she’d had in mind for tonight, but it would do for now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suki, what are you-” Sokka’s hand flew to his own mouth while Suki’s mouth went to the head of his cock. It was good he was quick, otherwise his shout surely would have awoken the rest of the camp. His eyes fluttered shut and his breathing picked up as Suki began working her mouth further down his shaft. His hand wandered to the back of her head, but Suki caught it, quickly twining their fingers together. He propped himself up on his other hand and watched her. He was having a lot of difficulty keeping his legs still or just figuring out what to do with his body in general and when his hips began thrusting unconsciously, she used her free hand to hold them down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki really only had the half-whispered, half-giggled descriptions from older girls to go by for what to do, but if her inexperience showed, Sokka didn’t seem to mind. A tense sensation at the back of her throat told her she’d gag if she tried taking him any deeper. Not wanting to risk giving him another reason to worry, she decided to compensate with her hand for what her mouth couldn’t take. Sokka didn’t reach for her head again and instead curled his fingers into the fur of his bedroll. It took more focus than Suki had expected it to, but that was good. If she was trying to make sure her teeth didn’t accidentally scrape against him, her mind couldn’t wander back to prison. Because this was certainly nothing like what she’d gone through before. Even her brief experience with the guard didn’t really compare. Sokka felt different. He tasted different. And Suki felt a bizarre sense of control, especially when she squeezed her lips a little tighter around the weeping, salty head and Sokka let out the tiniest squeak in response or when she shifted her hand down to massage his balls and his breathing hitched. When he whispered her name, a thrill went through her and she sped up which earned her an appreciative buck of Sokka’s hips. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka’s head lolled back and he lost the battle to keep himself upright, instead throwing his arm over his forehead as he collapsed. He gritted his teeth, feeling a tension building in his lower abdomen. “Suki...Suki, wait! I’m-” Suki did not stop and he couldn’t stop himself. Years of sharing a room with his sister and grandmother had taught him to be quiet, despite his initial cry of surprise, and when his muscles tightened and his hips gave a forceful thrust barely contained by Suki’s strength, the only sound was a soft whimper. His euphoria only lasted a few moments, however, before embarrassment filled him. “Suki! Oh man, Suki, I am so sorry! I tried not to.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok,” Suki soothed him, holding her finger to his lips. “I knew what was going to happen.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But...but you...but I…” But Suki was kissing him again and he couldn’t bring himself to argue anymore. She tasted salty and Sokka blushed hard when he realized why. Suki settled in next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Happiness and calm made him feel heavy. He ran his hand up and down Suki’s side, careful to try not to tickle her. He let his fingers dip into the waistband of her pants, but Suki moved her hips away from him. “I wanna do something for you, too,” he said when Suki took his hand and moved it back up to her side over her tunic.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve got time. I’m tired tonight,” Suki lied. She hated herself for not wanting him to touch her. Especially since she’d come into this tent to allow him to do just that. She told herself it was just too soon. And she was too wound up. They had a fight coming up. Now wasn’t the time for her to feel relaxed. Once the Fire Lord had been defeated and Azula was behind bars where she belonged, then she would feel relaxed enough to move forward. This was Sokka. The furthest person from Azula she could imagine. If there was anyone she could trust, anyone who could make her feel safe, it was him. She’d been right, after all. He had rescued her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Princess, I’m afraid that cell is only built to hold six prisoners, not seven,” the Warden of the Capital City Prison said cautiously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Then find a cell that holds seven,” Azula demanded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Six is our maximum. If Your Highness would permit me to put them with the general population, I could certainly find seven bunks near-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Azula said flatly. “You will give them their own cell as I requested and you will keep them together. I don’t want a single one of them isolated unless I specifically request otherwise. Maybe we can fit seven bunks in this office of yours and toss you in with the general population. That could be fun. You say the prisoners are treated well. I’m sure they’d extend you the same courtesy.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Warden sighed. “We’ll fit a seventh bunk in the cell, as you wish, Princess.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Excellent.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ignoring the Warden’s bow, Azula turned on her heel and left the office. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She had expected Father to be angry with her for bringing her fr- </span>
  <em>
    <span>the traitors</span>
  </em>
  <span> back to the capital. She’d been prepared to argue her case and defend her failure at the Western Air Temple. But it hadn’t been necessary. The Fire Lord had not summoned her. It seemed it was his turn to be distracted, making preparations for the arrival of the comet. Azula’s pets and failures didn’t matter so much anymore. Azula didn’t matter so much any-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula locked that ridiculous thought away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“...cess’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>harem</span>
  </em>
  <span>...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula turned a corner and was met by the distinct silence of a conversation being suddenly cut short. The pair of guards quickly bowed respectfully as she passed, exchanging nervous glances. Azula offered no indication that she’d heard them. She wouldn’t punish them. After all, she had a promise to keep.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After defeating the Fire Lord, everything had been a blur. Things happened so fast and yet slow at the same time. Suki had had plenty of work to do. Getting her sisters out of prison and back home had been her first priority. Ty Lee was far more likeable when she wasn’t on Azula’s side. Suki tried not to think about the princess whenever she saw her. The Kyoshi Warriors had worked closely with the Avatar and the new Fire Lord to liberate the Earth Kingdom of the remnants of the Fire Nation army. With every batch of prisoners of war that got released, Suki checked to see if any of the older Kyoshi Warriors who had rejected neutrality and left to join the war effort a few years prior were among them. Zuko had warned her that if they weren’t in the Capital City Prison or Boiling Rock, there likely weren’t any to be found. This had, unfortunately, seemed to prove true. It was a devastating blow, but Suki didn’t have time to dwell on it. Instead, she focused her energy on rebuilding and moving on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the gang had their own projects to work on as well. A hundred years of struggling weren’t over in a day and with everyone so busy, communication became scarce. But after several long months, when Suki was finally back home on Kyoshi Island, a familiar face popped into the dojo.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sokka!” She ran over and embraced him, knocking him back out into the street. He held her for a long time, not seeming to want to let her go. She didn’t want to let him go, either, and soon she was kissing him. The other Kyoshi Warriors giggled. Suddenly, Sokka was knocked forward by an impact on his back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s so good to see you, again!” Ty Lee cried.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh...good to see you too,” Sokka said. From the strain in his voice, it was clear Ty Lee was hugging him much too hard. Thankfully, she let go before he passed out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What brings you back here, stranger?” Suki asked while Sokka struggled to get air back into his lungs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ty Lee, actually,” Sokka answered, rubbing his ribs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Me?” Ty Lee gasped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorta. Azula’s been put into a mental hospital but since she still has her bending, she’s not always easy to control and the doctors don’t think it’s good for her to be sedated or restrained all the time. Zuko thinks a few chi blocking Kyoshi Warriors might be just the thing to solve everybody’s problems.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She still has her bending?” Suki looked incredulous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka shrugged helplessly. “I know. I felt the same way, but Zuko’s afraid of what she’ll do to herself if she loses it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, it wouldn’t be good at all!” Ty Lee said. “Azula without her bending? That’d be like...like…” Ty Lee struggled for words for a minute, “sunrise without the sun! She would not take it well.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not particularly concerned with how she takes it,” Suki said. “She’s a dangerous criminal. And a deranged one at that!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I’m with you,” Sokka insisted, “but they didn’t ask for my vote, only for me to find some volunteers to help guard her so that she doesn’t hurt anyone.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee raised her hand. “I’ll go.” Her voice was solemn. “Azula’s my best friend. Was my best friend. If anyone’s going to know when and how she needs to be taken down, it’ll be me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Zuko thought you’d want to come. We’ll need others, too, though. Azula’s a lot to handle right now. You can’t do it all on your own.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll go,” Suki said firmly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka smiled. “I hoped you would. I’ll be staying in the Fire Nation for a bit. It’d be nice to get to spend some more time together.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. It will.” Suki smiled, but her mind was far away, across the sea, in the bowels of a Fire Nation prison.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t get captured.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Azula had been repeating that mantra to herself for years. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t ever get captured. You know what they’ll do to you if you’re ever captured.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She did know. She was intimately familiar with what happened to prisoners. In every fight she’d been in, with every enemy, this was what she held onto. It was better to die than be captured.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And here she was. Captured. Bound so tightly that she couldn’t even move. She needed to escape. If she didn’t, they’d kill her. Slowly, maybe, but eventually it would happen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a while, she’d refused to eat or drink. After a few days, she’d passed out and woken up with an IV in her arm and extra straps holding her body down so she couldn’t rip it out. Still, she refused to eat and after another week they’d locked her into a chair and shoved a tube up her nose and down her throat and pumped some horrible paste into her. She choked and sputtered but there was really nothing she could do as even her head was bound in place. The discomfort wasn’t nearly as bad as the humiliation of it all and after several days of this treatment she’d relented and begun eating and drinking normally again. Nothing had been poisoned, yet, but it was only a matter of time. They wanted her to get comfortable, to let her guard down. Then, to add insult to injury, they would watch as she poisoned herself. Poisoning her was the least they could do, really. It was a dignified way to assassinate royalty.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A “doctor” came in to speak with her once a week (she assumed it was once a week. It was hard to tell the passage of time) and asked her stupid questions, trying to get her to divulge information. Him she ignored. They could strap her down and force nutrition into her body and force her to listen to this fool’s droning. They could make her scream if they really wanted to. But they couldn’t make her speak and that was one victory she would hang onto.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She spent hours -perhaps days- at a time lying on her cot, wrists and ankles cuffed to the corners. Her nails had been cut and filed down blunt and smooth. She’d kept driving them into her palms. They didn’t want her using pain to distract herself. In her agonizing boredom she’d memorized every scratch and flaw in the surface of the metal ceiling. Sometimes she could see her reflection up there. Sometimes she saw her captor there. She couldn’t see her when she looked around the room, but in the polished reflection she saw that horrible woman standing over her, brandishing a knife. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I love you, Azula.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, Azula would scream. She would scream and scream, shooting jets of blue flame up at the ceiling, and then the so-called nurses would come in and inject her with more of their toxins that made her eyelids too heavy to keep open so she couldn’t see her attacker. She’d be forced to wait in darkness for the strike to come while her mother whispered tauntingly in her ear. And she’d try to scream again, but she wouldn’t be able to open her mouth and the sound would lodge in her throat and hot, unusable energy would burn angrily in her limbs. Then she’d open her eyes and the ceiling would be dull and blank.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula didn’t know how long this went on. She lost count of the cycles of food and doctors and screaming and sedatives. She was beginning to wonder if the plan was actually to drive her as insane as Zuko said she was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There were lowered voices outside her cell. She opened her eye a crack, but they hadn’t opened the window in the door. She’d have to rely on the voices. The words were indistinguishable, but she recognized one. Her heart ached. She tried to tell herself it wasn’t real, that it was one of the hallucinations the doctors kept trying to convince her she was having, but she knew it too well. Mother had brought in Ty Lee to mock her. How had she gotten to Ty Lee of all people? And there was another familiar voice, too. It was harder to place, but the longer she listened, the more images started popping into her mind. It was stronger, more confident now instead of afraid, but she’d heard that voice insulting and begging her enough. The Kyoshi Warrior.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It all became very clear now. Of course, she should have seen it coming. It was as fitting as it was cruel. They wanted to break her thoroughly. Of course they’d bring in those two to finish the job. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t get captured. You know what they’ll do to you…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How could she have failed to see it before? She was slipping. Her mind was too slowed by the drugs. Would they use those, she wondered. Or would they rely on Ty Lee to force her to lie there helpless? How much convincing did it take? Had she tried to refuse? Or was she so poisoned against Azula that she was eager to do it?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s eyes burned. No! She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. She was stronger than they were. She’d proven it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula smiled to herself. She had proven it over and over and over again.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What? No sex? Lame.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Suki had not actually seen Azula, yet, but even being in the same building as her had been an intense experience; Sokka could tell by the way Suki climbed into his bed with him and pressed close against his side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to do this if it’s going to be too difficult for you,” he said reassuringly as he wrapped an arm around Suki’s shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine. Really,” Suki insisted, looking up at him and smiling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka still had doubts. But Suki had always been stronger than him, even if he had trouble admitting it sometimes. He leaned down and kissed her. He loved the way she melted into him, pressing into him like he was a life raft. It was the most needed she ever made him feel. The most needed anyone ever made him feel. Suki began undressing him and he didn’t resist. He let her undress herself; she seemed to prefer that. He allowed his hands to roam over her body. She’d become more ok with that since their first time in the tent. He kept his hands above her waist. She hadn’t been ready for him to venture any lower, yet. Suki, on the other hand, didn’t seem content until she’d touched every inch of him, running her hands over his chest, gently scratching her nails down his back, tangling their legs together and kissing every sensitive part of his neck until he was shamelessly hard against her belly. But as he began to maneuver himself to his usual position beneath her so she could determine how the night would advance, Suki did something unexpected. With a firm but gentle grip on his shoulders, she rolled him on top of her. She tangled her fingers into his hair and pulled his head down so she could nuzzle and kiss his neck.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Go on,” she whispered, bucking her hips into him lightly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka raised his head as he caught her meaning, eyes wide. “Are you...are you sure?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki smiled and nodded. “Do you want to?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka couldn’t find the words to express himself, so he just stuck with nodding his head vigorously. “That is...if you want to…” he stammered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki giggled. “Obviously. Just...be careful…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” Sokka said, gently, caressing her face. She liked it when he touched her face at least. He leaned down and kissed her again, easing himself down between her legs. It was a little awkward to maneuver and he blushed a deep red as he fumbled to find the right positioning. But Suki kept smiling and kissing him, for once not teasing him or taking control. When he finally had it figured out, he kissed her deeply and started to very slowly push himself inside of her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not slowly enough. Suki’s nails dug into his back and she winced, letting out a strangled cry.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll give Sokka the honor of making you bleed if he actually does come for you. And when he clumsily shoves himself inside you for the first time, that pain will make you think of me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki’s eyes flew open and Azula was there on top of her again. Her wicked smirk seemed to glow in the moonlight. Her nails dug into Suki’s inner walls and pain shot through her body. Suki screamed and shoved with all her might.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suki!” Sokka cried. He fell backward off the bed, hitting his head, but he didn’t care. Guilt overwhelmed him. “Suki, I’m so sorry! Did I hurt you? Please, I’m sorry.” He looked down and could just make out a smear of blood on his now-soft shaft. He’d hurt her. His chest tightened and tears filled his eyes. “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” He didn’t know what else to say. He knelt next to the bed. It took everything in him not to rush to her side and comfort her, but he’d hurt her. She’d probably never want him to touch her again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki’s heart was racing, but Azula was gone. Only Sokka was there, kneeling on the floor with tears in his eyes apologizing to her again and again. Suki grabbed him and dragged him up next to her, burying her face in his chest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She cried. The sobs were overwhelming, painful. Her fingers dug into Sokka’s back and she was only dimly aware of the fact that she was probably hurting him, but she couldn’t stop. And it felt stupid. As badly as she’d wanted to cry at the time, doing so now just made everything seem worse. It had been months. She’d been focusing on other things. She was supposed to have moved on. She was ok. She was safe. She was with Sokka. She loved Sokka. She trusted Sokka. Azula was chained in a basement like the monster she was and Suki was here, finally back to her rightful place as a Kyoshi Warrior and definitely not a prisoner. Literally all the conditions were right for her to feel safe and happy! But all these attempts to justify why crying was stupid only made her sobs more frantic, her wails becoming more and more high pitched until they were nearly screams. She finally gave up resisting and surrendered to it, pressing herself harder into Sokka’s chest until they were barely distinguishable as two individuals. She felt Sokka’s arms cautiously wrap around her and that actually did make her feel calmer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Sokka said again, feeling stupid that he couldn’t think of anything else. Suki was panicking in his arms and he felt on the brink of panic himself, but he forced himself to maintain his composure. This was his fault and he had no right to be coming undone. “I hurt you. I didn’t mean to. I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t,” Suki interrupted through her sobs. “You...It wasn’t you...It…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it? Please, tell me,” Sokka said. He stroked her back as soothingly as he could, the way Gran-Gran used to when he cried.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A...Azula,” was the only thing Suki could choke out as more sobs overtook her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Azula?” Sokka didn’t understand. Was Suki upset with him because he hadn’t protected her from being captured by Azula? That was fair. He should have...done something...anything to protect her. Why was he so bad at protecting the people he loved? “I’m sorry,” he repeated for the thousandth time. “I shouldn’t have let her get anywhere near you. I should have gone with you when you went to get the others.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Suki said, louder than she meant to. “While I was...in prison. She...I thought I could...with you...but I can’t stop thinking about...what she…” Another sob wrenched it’s way out of Suki’s throat. Images, sensations, and cruel voices raced through her mind, jumbling and blurring together. She focused on Sokka, using him as an anchor to pull herself out of her sorrow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka’s mind was struggling. There was a connection there, but he was failing to put it together. Azula had done something to Suki while she was captured. And being so near her again must have reopened the wound. But if Suki wasn’t mad at him, what did that have to do with…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The connection snapped into place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka’s arms tightened around Suki. Not so much that he was hurting her, but it was noticeable enough that it distracted Suki from her crying. Every muscle in Sokka’s body seemed to have tensed all of a sudden. The gentle caress of her sweet Water Tribe boy had turned into the rock solid grip of a man- a warrior. Suki looked up at him. His gaze was fixed on the wall, face red again, but this time from an anger and hatred that Suki had never seen in him before. It seemed so out of place on his usually happy features. It was frightening.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sokka?” Suki said carefully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka’s eyes lost some of their far-away look and shifted to meet hers. He pressed his lips to the top of her head for a long time and then stood up, grabbing his clothes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s somewhere I have to be. Stay in bed. I’ll be back soon.” He kissed Suki, again, and didn’t even bother tying his hair back up as he started to leave the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you going?” Suki cried, pulling the blanket over herself. She couldn’t see where she’d thrown her clothes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be right back,” Sokka repeated. He hesitated, then added, “I love you,” and he was gone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Master Sokka? It’s very late.” The nurse rubbed her eyes and tried to stifle a yawn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I’m sorry. I need to see Azula,” Sokka said, aware of the suspicious look the nurse was giving him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s bedtime. Can’t this wait until morning? The patients should all be asleep.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This can’t wait. I need to see her right now. I won’t be long, I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The nurse hesitated, clearly not wanting to give in to him, but he’d been perfecting his business look over the past few months. He was a companion to the Avatar. That meant learning how to deal with people and serve as a leader almost as much as Aang himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Five minutes,” the nurse said at last. “We’ll bring her to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Sokka said with an appreciative bow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula wasn’t asleep when they came for her. She hardly slept anymore. By choice, anyway. Ever since her imprisonment started, the nightmares had been too severe to allow her to rest properly. And she certainly wasn’t going to sleep now, knowing what they had planned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Azula,” the doctor said in the careful, measured tone that made it sound like he was talking to a child rather than the rightful Fire Lord. Azula would make him suffer when she finally escaped. “Someone is here to see you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Of course there was. More than one someone, most likely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know how this goes. We’re going to undo the restraints on your wrists and you’re going to sit up and hold out your arms so that we can get you into the jacket, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“As you wish, Doctor,” Azula said sweetly. She wouldn’t show fear as they led her to her fate. She looked into their eyes and she knew they knew she knew. How cautiously they undid the fastenings on her wrists, waiting to see if she’d fight back. No. No need. She sat up with her arms straight out in front of her into the waiting sleeves of the jacket, allowed them to wrap her arms around her body and strap them down. They wrenched the sleeves a little tighter than necessary, making Azula clench her jaw, but she refused to show pain. Next, they unfastened her ankles and she allowed them to tighten the straps around her legs and lift her into the wheelchair. She held her head high and proud, saw how uneasy it made them and relished in it. They weren’t going to break her. Never.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The door to the interrogation room opened and Azula was taken aback. The Water Tribe boy. Why? Why him? Why would they use him?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know why.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mother was there, too, somewhere. Azula couldn’t see her, but she knew she was there. Of course she’d want to watch. Sick, perverse woman that she was. Azula ground her teeth but forced herself to look at the boy. He looked unspeakably furious.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, if it isn’t my old friend, Sokka,” Azula said cheerfully, trying to gain some semblance of control, to gauge the situation. “Sorry I look a mess. I was just getting ready for bed. Had I known you were coming, I would have cleaned up more.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Cut the crap, Azula. You’re going to tell me one thing. What did you do to Suki?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula was caught off-guard for the second time in as many minutes. What was that question supposed to mean? He already knew, surely. Why else would he be here? Was this some sort of game? Was he going to make her state her crimes so he could throw them back at her? But no, as she looked at him, looked into his anger, she saw...hurt...concern… He hadn’t been sent here. He’d chosen to come here. Because he needed to know. A cruel smile twisted across Azula’s face. She was in control.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you get my present, then? I left it for you, you know. I wouldn’t want you to go through all the trouble of playing hero to damaged goods. I wasn’t sure it would survive Boiling Rock, to be honest. They’re ruthless there. You should be thankful I treated her as well as I did.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me!” Sokka demanded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The anger was leaving his face. She saw desperation. He wanted her to tell him anything but the truth. Assure him that what he was thinking wasn’t the case.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll tell you what I didn’t do. I didn’t hurt her. Not once. Well, not after we were done fighting, at least, but that doesn’t count. No, you can ask her yourself. She was quite comfortable in my care.” Oh yes, this felt good. Despite her bindings, she felt like she could finally stretch again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What...did you…do?” Sokka was losing the will to ask, losing the will to find out. He was starting to feel sick.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s smile became wider, more vile. “Nothing she didn’t love.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka slammed his hands on the table and stood. “Liar!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Excellent. Azula reclined back in her wheelchair, making herself as comfortable as possible, which wasn’t very. Her joints felt like they were being pulled apart every time she moved, but she kept her voice steady. “Ask her yourself, then. Ask her how hard she fought. Ask her how much effort I had to put into forcing her. Find the marks on her body where I had to burn her or beat her. And then ask her why I always left her moaning and gasping for more. Since we’re kissing and telling, tell me, have you gotten her there, yet?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka’s arms were trembling with barely contained rage. He looked murderous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess not. You wouldn’t know how, would you? I can give you some advice, if you’d like. She’s great practice, too. So easy. You know, I kept telling her she could call your name for a change, but she never did. I guess she was enjoying herself too much to think of you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At that point, Sokka broke. He lunged across the table, grabbing for Azula’s straight jacket. “YOU MONSTER!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Azula thought, laughing. That’s exactly what she was! A monster! A monster for all the world to see. For all the world to fear! They could punish her all they liked, it wouldn’t change anything.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But something was wrong. Sokka had dragged her onto the table. He was forcing her onto her back, forcing himself between her legs. In the jacket she couldn’t move or even struggle properly. Her limbs ached at the strain she put on them trying to break free.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why are you struggling?</span>
  </em>
  <span> hissed a voice above her. Azula looked up. She didn’t remember the ceiling being reflective in here, but there was her mother glowering down at her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I thought you weren’t going to show fear. You are a monster after all. This is what you deserve. You need to be punished.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula realized, suddenly, that she was afraid. Very afraid. Sokka was so strong. Much stronger than she had thought. He was holding her down. He was on top of her. She couldn’t get him off. She thought she’d pull her arms out of their sockets with how hard she was struggling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Do you think he’ll make you bleed, little whore?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mother jeered. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s fitting, really. You stole her first time from him, so he’ll just have to take yours.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cruel laughter rang in Azula’s ears. No. No! This couldn’t be happening! Pain ripped through her. The ringing in her ears was unbearable. She had to get him off of her- out of her! Wasn’t he satisfied, yet?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I wouldn’t be so confident in things ending quickly. He’s not the only person here who hates you.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was right. Azula could hear the others lined up outside the door, waiting. A line that stretched on to eternity. Faceless monsters waiting. Waiting for their pound of flesh. Her flesh! No! The pain was too much already. She couldn’t take any more. It wasn’t fair!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No one fears the little monster now, do they?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mother! Mother! Stop them! Please!” She could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks. Hadn’t she suffered enough? Wouldn’t this humiliation ever end?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka stared in a mixture of shock and wonder. The nurse had rushed to hold him back the moment he’d lunged for Azula, forcing him back into his seat before he could even touch her. But now, she had flown into a panic, struggling furiously against her bindings and screaming incoherently for her mother. There was a tearing sound and he wasn’t sure if it was fabric or tendons.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid you need to leave,” said another nurse as Azula was wheeled out of the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Mother, make them stop!” Azula shrieked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka felt ashamed for losing his temper like that. It seemed he couldn’t stop making girls cry tonight. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s not a girl; she’s a monster,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he reminded himself forcefully, clinging to his anger.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. I won’t bother her anymore,” Sokka promised and left the hospital without another word, Azula’s wails still ringing in his ears.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Revelations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aang and Zuko were not happy about Sokka’s late-night visit to Azula. They kept insisting that he tell them what had possessed him to visit her in the first place, but Sokka staunchly refused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“As Fire Lord, I demand you tell me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not a citizen of the Fire Nation, Zuko,” Sokka said, rolling his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“As Avatar...As your friend...will you please tell me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka hesitated. He raised a hand and rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, it’s not my place to say.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Whose place is it, then?” Zuko asked impatiently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mine,” Suki said, walking up to the group. “It’s mine.” She sighed. She didn’t exactly want to tell them, but if she didn’t, Azula probably would at some point. Based on how Sokka had behaved after getting back from the hospital last night, it would be better if they heard the non-deranged version first. When she was done, she gauged everyone’s reactions. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka looked furious, again. She’d been expecting that one. She wasn’t really sure what Azula had told him. He hadn’t said anything last night besides declarations of love and whispered apologies that Suki had pretended to sleep through because facing them at the time felt too painful to bear, and the entire time he’d held on to her like he was terrified she’d vanish. She didn’t think he’d slept at all. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Aang looked like he was going to be sick. As Suki spoke, his eyes grew wider and wider and Suki could see just a hint of panic in him as he tried to figure out what to do. Suki wished she could have spared him the knowledge the most.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Zuko apologized, which was the worst.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you have to apologize for? It’s not like you ever came to visit.” Suki meant to sound light-hearted, but it didn’t land.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s my sister. I’m sorry I didn’t know what she was doing. I didn’t realize she’d become such a …”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Monster?” Sokka suggested.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You helped take her down. That’s all we could ask you to do. How could you have known?” Aang said. He seemed to have recovered from his initial shock, or at least was trying to mask it for Suki’s benefit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I just feel like I should have somehow,” Zuko said with a helpless shrug of his shoulders, briefly making it look like his heavy Fire Lord robes were drowning him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You ready to take her bending away </span>
  <em>
    <span>now,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Aang?” Sokka snarled accusingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Azula didn’t use her bending to hurt Suki. What good would that do?” Aang argued. His voice was gentle and comforting and not what Sokka wanted to hear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe she’d take care of our problem for us!” Sokka half-shouted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sokka-” Aang began.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She doesn’t deserve to live, Aang!” Sokka was in Aang’s face now. Aang allowed it, standing firm though his face was sympathetic.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sokka, enough,” Suki said, putting her hand on his shoulder. His expression softened immediately as he turned to her. “I’m alright. Really.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s exactly what you said last night and you clearly weren’t!” Sokka insisted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Last night...things were intense. I don’t think I’d fully processed what happened with everything going on and fighting the Fire Lord, er, Ozai. It all just kind of hit me at once. But I feel better now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suki, I’m worried about you,” Sokka said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not asking you not to be worried. I’m asking you to trust me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’d like to go home, I can arrange transport for you,” Zuko offered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll take you up on that if I think I need to. For now, I’m needed here and I can be here. I want to be here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you should go home,” Sokka urged, and Suki could see in his eyes that, while he meant it, it hurt him to say so.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not gonna move past this sitting at home and hiding, Sokka. I’m staying and that’s that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sokka tried to keep arguing, but it was clear he wasn’t going to win. Eventually, he backed down and left with Zuko. Aang stayed behind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” Suki insisted again, but Aang’s wide, puppy-dog eyes told her he wasn’t convinced. She gave a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through her hair. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>will be</span>
  </em>
  <span> fine,” she said. That, Aang seemed to believe. “I’m not leaving.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think you should,” he said. “I think you’re right. The only way to face this is here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to tell me to forgive her?” Suki asked, a hint of an edge in her voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Aang said steadily. “I think I’ve learned my lesson on telling people they </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to forgive. You’ll make your own decision when the time comes. But if you want to talk, I can listen.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug, which Aang readily returned. It really was shocking to Suki sometimes to remember that this small boy had defeated the most dangerous person in the world. She could handle Azula.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the sedatives wore off enough that Azula could finally open her eyes, Ty Lee was there sitting in the chair beside her bed. She groaned and closed her eyes, again. Not Ty Lee. Anyone else. Not Ty Lee. She couldn’t face her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Azula,” came Ty Lee’s quiet, timid voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you here?” Azula asked, forcing anger into her voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, officially, Zuko, uh, the Fire Lord, hired some of the Kyoshi Warriors to help guard you. He thought it might be better to have someone around who could calm you down without using drugs.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Calm her down? Is that what they were calling paralyzing her and imprisoning her in her own mind? Azula’s hands clenched into fists. She missed the satisfying bite of nails into flesh. She opened her eyes and glared at Ty Lee. “Zuzu isn’t the Fire Lord and you’re not a Kyoshi Warrior,” she hissed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee shrank back slightly. “I am. I met them when...uh…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Poor Ty Lee,” Azula spat. “You had just enough courage to betray me but couldn’t handle being independent for more than two minutes. I don’t know why I was surprised. You just </span>
  <em>
    <span>give</span>
  </em>
  <span> your so-called loyalty away, like everything else.” Azula told herself that her voice caught at the end because her throat was dry. She was painfully thirsty. The sedatives hadn’t completely worn off yet and the room was dancing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re just saying that to hurt my feelings,” Ty Lee said. And it worked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m saying it because it’s true.” Azula turned her head toward the wall. The room spun. She felt nauseated. “Your face...is just like theirs,” she forced herself to continue. “You’re just another one of a matched set, again.” It wasn’t true. It could never be true. Even wearing that ridiculous make-up, even standing among her identical sisters, Azula would always know her. But Azula knew the words would hurt enough that she wouldn’t need to put much effort into them. She refused to turn back to Ty Lee and see the pain she’d caused. If she did, she’d apologize, and Ty Lee would forgive her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee felt like she’d been punched in the gut. Tears sprang into her eyes. She nearly got up. Nearly stormed out. Even though she knew it was what Azula wanted, she nearly didn’t care and nearly gave it to her. But she stopped herself. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing the stinging words to go away. She had expected Azula to lash out, and Azula was very good at lashing out. “They told me you had an episode last night. People were really worried about you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula doubted that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want to tell me what it was about?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No. Leave.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Azula didn’t answer. She clenched her fists so hard her arms trembled. She flinched when Ty Lee’s fingers brushed her cheek and forced herself not to lean in when they ran tenderly through her hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ordinarily, Ty Lee wouldn’t have dared to touch Azula so intimately without permission. Especially when she was in a bad mood. But something in Azula’s aura was telling her that it was not only ok, this time, but necessary.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you here?” Azula repeated softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanted to see you,” Ty Lee replied, voice barely above a whisper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know why she’s here.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula stiffened, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. She didn’t want to see her mother’s reflection glaring down at her. No, not Ty Lee. Ty Lee would never…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She will. She hates you, too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Shut up.</span>
  </em>
  <span> This wasn’t fair. She hadn’t done anything a thousand others before her hadn’t done to a thousand captives. She’d been far more reasonable, actually. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Azula said, mostly to herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not...exactly true.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We were at war! People get hurt! Things...happen. But I didn’t...I never…” Azula squeezed her fists tighter, willing her nails to grow longer. Her pulse was pounding in her head. It was getting difficult to breathe. Her ears were ringing. Why couldn’t Ty Lee just leave? She heard Ty Lee start to say her name, but cut her off. “I didn’t hurt her! I made sure of it. I could have. She knows I could have. But I spared her all of that. All of them. So long as they were mine, they were safe. You and Mai were safe, because everyone already knew. They wouldn’t have dared...But for them...for her...It was all I could do! You have to understand, there wasn’t a choice!” Her throat was closing up and she was panting like a mad animal. She was so thirsty. She couldn’t tell if it was sweat or tears running down the sides of her face. “You have to understand…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula was jerking at her restraints and all Ty Lee understood was that she would really hurt herself if she didn’t stop. “Easy! Easy!” she cooed, but Azula wasn’t listening. She really didn’t want to chi block her, but even after months of restraint, Azula was strong enough to cause serious damage. She could already see where the metal had dug into her princess’s formerly-perfect skin. Fresh lacerations started to rip into still-healing cuts and frightening new burn scars. Desperate, Ty Lee climbed onto the bed, straddling Azula’s waist and pinning her forearms down. Azula froze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ty Lee...don’t...please.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The quiver in Azula’s voice, the terror in her eyes broke Ty Lee’s heart. “I...I’m sorry, Azula. I’ll let you go. But you’re going to hurt yourself if you keep struggling. Please just lay still, ok?” Azula nodded and although Ty Lee could still feel Azula's pulse racing through her veins, her muscles went slack and Ty Lee cautiously released her, going back to her chair beside the bed. Azula continued to stare up at the ceiling. The fear was still there in her eyes. Ty Lee followed her gaze up but couldn’t see anything but dull metal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Azula?” Ty Lee dared to break the silence after several minutes. Azula jumped like she’d forgotten Ty Lee was there entirely. “Who were you talking about?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula turned her head toward the wall again so Ty Lee wouldn’t see her panic. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No. Please. Don’t make me tell her. You already made her betray me. Don’t make me…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did something happen?” Azula’s breathing was speeding up, again. “You can tell me what happened. I won’t be mad. I promise. I’ve never been mad at you.” Azula’s hands found the chains connecting her cuffs to the bed and wrapped around them, squeezing until her knuckles went white, but she didn’t pull. Ty Lee took a deep breath. Something was very wrong and Azula wasn’t even trying to lie about it. “What did you save her from?” Azula’s shoulders jerked and Ty Lee heard a strange sound. It took her a moment to figure out what it was. She’d never heard Azula cry before. She moved before she thought. Climbing back onto the bed, she pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the cuffs on Azula’s wrists. Azula immediately hugged her arms to her chest, turning away as much as the cuffs on her ankles would allow. Ty Lee wrapped her arms around the princess, cradling her close to her body. To her surprise, Azula not only allowed it, but leaned in to her. Ty Lee rested her chin on Azula’s head, gently rocking her back and forth while she cried.  “Azula, what happened to you?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There hasn't been enough Ty Lee in this story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Princess's Punishment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Azula’s ankle throbbed. The sprain was bad. But the pain was the least of her worries. She’d fallen. It wasn’t the first time. She didn’t train obsessively because she was perfect the first time every time, no matter her reputation. That was what set her apart- her willingness to go through the steps over and over and over again until every movement was as thoughtless as breathing. That was Zuko’s real failing. He’d get frustrated and storm off when there was still work to do. But Zuko was gone now and Father was impatient and Azula was having trouble keeping up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She kept her forehead pressed against the floor, trying to ignore the heat from the growing flames against the back of her neck. The position of her foot was making white-hot pain shoot up her leg, but she didn’t dare adjust her body to accommodate the injury.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“With how slow your progress has become, if I didn’t know better, I would think Zuko was before me again,” Ozai growled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She is still several years ahead of her age with her training,” Lo or Li said. Azula wished they would shut up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that an excuse, Azula?” Ozai demanded as though the child had been the one to speak up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Father,” Azula replied, finally daring to sit up now that she was being addressed. She kept her eyes fixed faithfully on the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what is the reason for your sloppiness?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There were plenty of reasons, Azula thought. She was exhausted from training constantly. She’d been summoned to her father during one of the rare breaks she’d taken since Zuko had been banished. He had demanded to see a complex form that she’d only begun learning a couple of days prior and she was still memorizing the steps. As her movements brought her closer to the throne and the heat from the flames licked at her face, she’d remembered the sound of her brother shrieking. Yes, there were plenty of reasons why she had landed wrong, on her left foot instead of her right, and collapsed. Sometimes -yes, sometimes- she made mistakes. But none of these reasons were the correct answer to the question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There is no excuse, Father,” Azula said, trusting him to lead her to what he wanted to hear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you take pleasure in disappointing me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Never, Father.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look at me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula winced, but cautiously raised her eyes. She couldn’t see her father behind the flames, only a looming shadow of fury. She tried to remember the last time she’d seen his face clearly. Probably at the Agni Kai. That seemed fitting. She could almost make out his expression now, the same expression he’d made before burning his son. It was so hot in here. She didn’t remember it being this hot when Grandfather was on the throne, but that was probably because he was old and weak. And less furious.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know the consequences of failure in battle, Azula?” Ozai asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Death or capture,” Azula answered. She didn’t know where this was going and that bothered her because it meant she didn’t know what to prepare to say.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that all?” Ozai coaxed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula tried very hard to come up with the answer, but she didn’t know what he wanted. He was in a particularly foul mood today. There was no use trying to please him. She’d already failed at that anyway. “What is worse than death?” she asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever he was trying to scare her with, he wasn’t going to be forthcoming about it because the Fire Lord answered by changing the subject. “I’m sending you on a trip, Azula.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s heart stopped. He was sending her away? For stumbling?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Only for a day,” Ozai said, reading her mind as usual. “I think it’s time you had a dose of reality.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where am I going?” Azula asked. She hoped it wasn’t someplace she’d have to do a lot of walking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t have to see his face to hear the smile when he answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was hot at Boiling Rock. The humidity in the air made Azula’s lungs hurt. Far below the gondola, the lake boiled. Azula wondered what it would feel like to fall in. Pushing people in would be a very efficient execution method and fear tactic. Bring a few prisoners up here, chain them together, open the door, and kick them out. The screams would echo up the crater walls. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula knew Mai’s uncle was the Warden here. She wished Mai could have come with her, but the Fire Lord had insisted that she make this trip alone except for four guards for protection. She could smell the prisoners and guards the moment she stepped onto the island. The guards bowed respectfully to her. Azula was still trying to work out what she was doing here. Something about this little field trip was supposed to frighten her, that much she understood. But what was it?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Warden was leading her on a tour of the facilities. She really didn’t care, but listened and nodded politely. The brace wrapped around her ankle helped some with the pain, but she still hoped the tour wouldn’t last long. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Two prisoners started fighting. The guards beat them both until they were gasping, bloody heaps on the ground. Azula smiled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“These are the coolers. We bring our Firebending prisoners here when they need to take a minute to cool off.”  The Warden chuckled at his joke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula wasn’t tall enough to look through the window at the top of the door, so at her request one of her guards lifted her up. A man wearing a prison uniform was huddled inside, hugging his knees to his chest and shivering. Thin wisps of air drifted out of his mouth as he gasped for breath. His lips and the tips of his fingers were tinged blue. Azula leaned closer for a better look through the frosted-over glass and yelped when her cheek brushed the icy metal of the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Careful, Your Highness,” the Warden said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright, Princess?” the guards asked as Azula was lowered back to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” Azula said, waving dismissively at them while blinking the sting of tears out of her eyes before they could see. She lifted her hand to her cheek to try and sooth the icy burn. “I like these. Do you ever put non-bending prisoners in here?” she asked the Warden.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“When they deserve it,” the Warden replied and Azula returned his smirk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, she was led into a small room where there was a chair in the corner.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Have a seat, please, Princess,” the Warden said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula was grateful to do so. She’d managed to get through the tour without limping, but with each step the throbbing became more pronounced. The physician had told her to stay off her feet for a few days. Azula didn’t know how he’d managed to get through the statement with a straight face. He’d offered her crutches, but she refused them. Father would never have approved of such an outward sign of weakness. Her guards took places on either side of her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Bring in the prisoner!” the Warden called.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A girl was brought in. She looked to be maybe four years older than Azula, younger than any of the other prisoners Azula could recall seeing. Bright green eyes displayed her Earth Kingdom heritage. Her thick hair was a rich chestnut and freckles peppered her nose. Despite being clearly malnourished, she had the body of a warrior. Azula thought she was pretty. Her eyes were ferocious as they darted around the room, finally settling on Azula.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What is this?” the prisoner demanded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula had the same question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Congratulations. You’ve been chosen to help put on a show for the young princess. You should be honored,” the Warden said. “You should also,” he swung a vicious kick to the back of the prisoner’s knees, forcing her to the ground, “show some respect.” He pressed his boot against the back of her neck until she was forced into a full kowtow at Azula’s feet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m honored,” the prisoner snarled, not sounding honored at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With every passing moment, Azula was growing more confused. She’d been starting to assume that the point of this field trip was to show her what prison might have in store for her if she was ever captured, but why show her this prisoner? Because she was young? To show Azula that her youth wouldn’t save her? She already knew that. The prison camps in the Colonies were full of Earthbending children who were Azula’s age, if not younger. Some teenager wasn’t a shock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good girl,” the Warden said. He took his boot off the prisoner’s neck. She stayed in place. “She’s all yours.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took Azula a moment to realize he was gesturing to her guards, not to her, as he left the room. Two of the guards left her side. One of them, the one that had picked her up to look into the cooler, was cracking his knuckles. The prisoner raised her head just in time for a fist to connect with her cheek with a sickening crunch. Azula startled. The second guard swung a kick into the prisoner’s stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She tried to retreat and defend herself, but her wrists were shackled together and once the guards began, they refused to grant her a moment to react. Still, to her credit, she did manage to kick the legs out from under one of them and almost managed to tackle the second to the ground, but she was too winded and weak and soon was being held in place by one guard while the other landed several punishing blows to her sides and face. Blood shot out from between the prisoner’s lips and when they stopped holding her up, she collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a brutal display. But Azula hardly had an aversion to violence. Several weeks prior she had watched her brother’s face get burned off in front of a cheering crowd. Surely her father didn’t think this was-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing? Stop!” The prisoner was struggling, again. One of the guards had taken her wrists and pinned them above her head. The other was ripping at the filthy rag that was the prisoner’s shirt. “Stop!” she screamed again, kicking out at the guard, but unable to find purchase. Azula could now see the extent of the bruising on her body and she didn’t think that could have all been done today.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the prisoner’s struggles became more frantic, so did Azula’s heartbeat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No! Stop! Please! I haven’t done anything!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted to look away when the guard unfastened the front of his own uniform, but she couldn’t. Furthermore, she knew she wasn’t allowed to. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait! Stop!” Azula shouted when the guard shoved himself inside the girl on the ground, but her voice was drowned out by the prisoner’s scream. Azula felt her stomach drop. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The scream was deafening. It reverberated through Azula's body down to her bones and turned her blood to ice. She had to clench her fists so tightly in order to resist the urge to clap her hands over her ears that her nails drew blood from her palms.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop, please!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The guards did not listen to the prisoner and they did not listen to Azula. In fact, they didn’t even spare a glance at the princess or show the slightest hesitation in their actions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed to go on forever. The prisoner gave up fighting with the second guard and just laid there sobbing, which was somehow worse. When they were done, the other two moved forward and Azula felt like she was going to be sick. Of course. First the lesson, then the punishment. The prisoner tried to get up, but her injuries were apparently too severe and she collapsed again. Azula hated her then. She hated her for not being strong enough to get away, for getting captured and sent here in the first place. She hated her for failing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please,” the prisoner whimpered again. Azula didn’t know why she kept begging because it didn’t work any better this time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A blood-shot green eye met Azula’s and Azula felt her blood freeze over again. The prisoner’s howl of pain was no longer human. In fact, it was beyond human or animal. Even Zuko had had the decency to sound like a wounded hog-monkey. This...this was the spirit of agony.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Azula realized this was her fault.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough! Stop!” It didn’t work any better this time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula was panting. Her face was hot. She weakly told herself she shouldn’t be upset. It was only a prisoner, after all. Not a girl. Not even a person, really. But her throat constricted and black spots danced in her vision. If the prisoner made any more sounds, Azula didn’t hear it. All she could hear was her father’s voice growling in her head, grinding the lesson in like glass under a heel. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fail and this is you. Fail and you are nothing. Fail and suffer the consequences.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they were finally finished, the guards returned to Azula’s side like obedient dogs that had just finished ripping apart a rabbit. The room smelled like sex and the guards smelled like blood. Azula’s face felt numb. The prisoner was sobbing, but it sounded far away. The only sensation Azula was aware of was the stinging in her palms when she finally unclenched her fists.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula said nothing as she stood and walked out of the room. She had to step over the crying girl to get to the door. Her clothes were ripped to pieces and blood was smeared on the insides of her legs. There were prison guards outside the room. One of them went inside, Azula assumed to collect the prisoner and take her back to her cell, but maybe not. She stopped thinking about it. The others led them back to the gondolas. She wouldn’t be able to remember anything she saw or heard on the way. The prison seemed to have faded away. She couldn’t even smell the reek of sweat and filth anymore. Her guards walled in the scent of the room and carried it along with her like she’d never left. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Warden was there to see them off. “Thank you so much for visiting, Your Highness. It has been an honor to serve you. Do come again. Boiling Rock is a lovely place for a vacation,” he said with a smile and a deep bow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula was silent the entire ship ride home. The prisoner's screams clung to her thoughts. She tried to shut them out, but they lingered, a constant ringing in her ears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me, Azula,” Ozai said when Azula was once again bowing before him, “what is the difference between a captor and a captive?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The captor is the victor. The captive is the failure,” Azula answered. Her throat felt dry. She wasn’t sure she’d spoken since they’d left Boiling Rock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you ever fail me again, Azula?” Ozai asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Never, Father.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next day, Azula’s flames turned blue.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tragic Backstory (TM)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Acceptance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Suki’s legs were trembling, her hand was soaking wet. A sheen of sweat had broken out on her forehead and the shortness in her breath and the heat in her abdomen told her she was close. Her free hand clutched the blanket while her hips rocked against the hand between her legs. So close. She curled the fingers inside her, pressing her palm harder against her clit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s face flashed behind her eyelids.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a gasp, Suki pulled her hand free. She knelt on the bed, still panting and trembling as her climax cruelly vanished. With a frustrated groan, she threw herself back on the pillows.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span> you don’t want to cooperate,” she grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a knock at the door. Sighing heavily, Suki wiped her hand off on the blanket and began refastening her pants. “Hang on!” she called. After smoothing down her rumpled clothing and straightening out her hair, she went to answer the door. To her surprise, Ty Lee was on the other side. Her make-up was smeared horribly and her eyes were red like she’d been crying a lot. “Ty Lee? What’s wrong?” Suki asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a sniff, Ty Lee threw herself at Suki, wrapping her arms around her chest and burying her face into Suki’s shoulder. Suki slowly returned the hug, stroking her back soothingly. She was used to Ty Lee’s outbursts of emotion, but she’d never seen her this upset before.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it?” Suki asked again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee’s voice came out muffled and interrupted by sniffles. “I’m. So. Sorry!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki felt like she’d just been stabbed in the gut by an icicle. “What? Why-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Azula told me. I’m sorry. I didn’t...I didn’t know!” Ty Lee was crying harder now and her wailing was getting them strange looks from a pair of patrolling palace guards.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go inside,” Suki suggested, pulling Ty Lee into her room and shutting the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Apparently Ty Lee had been holding back in the hallway because her sobs redoubled once the door closed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, hey,” Suki crooned, “settle down. It’s ok. Everything’s ok.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not!” Ty Lee pulled back, struggling to catch her breath. “It’s not ok. It’s not ok at all.” She swiped furiously at the tears running down her cheek, smearing lipstick all the way up to her eye. She sniffled, trying to get ahold of herself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Really. I never would’ve…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. I know. It’s ok.” Suki put a hand on Ty Lee’s shoulder. Ty Lee took the hand and pressed her cheek against it for a moment, then dropped it as though Suki had suddenly become a Firebender.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But it’s not ok! And you shouldn’t be comforting me! I’m so stupid, coming in here like that. Making you worry about me like I’m the victim here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki cringed at the word victim, but Ty Lee didn’t seem to notice and continued berating herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I should have known something was wrong. She changed so much after Zuko left. Well, not that much, but she got worse. Everything was just worse. Her aura was...different. I thought it was because she was trying to hide how upset she was that he was gone. Stupid. Of course something happened. Why didn’t I ask?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ty Lee?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee looked up as though just remembering Suki was there. She grabbed Suki’s hands and kissed her knuckles. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “What I’m trying to say is...I wish I had known. I wish I could have stopped it. I wish I could have made it so it would have never happened. And if you hate me, I understand.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hate you?” Suki had to stop herself from laughing. “Ty Lee, why would I hate you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I did help capture you in the first place. And I tried to stop you escaping from Boiling Rock. If I’d succeeded, you’d have gone back to Azula.” Tears threatened Ty Lee’s eyes again at the thought, but she blinked them away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well...yeah, but like you said, you didn’t know. And I was trying to capture you, too. You’re just too hard to hang on to.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee smiled weakly, but her eyes were still filled with sadness. “I wish you had.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki sighed. “Yeah, me too. We could’ve used you as a Kyoshi Warrior way sooner.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee’s eyes brightened a bit at that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How, uh, how is Azula? Sorry I didn’t go to the hospital to help you out today. Aang thought maybe I should take a day or two to think about things. Adjust to our new positions.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, um...Not...great. She’s pretty worked up, still, but I eventually got her to calm down a bit. She...she told me some stuff. Related to the stuff about you. I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to find out like that. She was just rambling nonsense and I was trying to figure out what she was talking about. Anyway, I’m sorry I interrupted you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki was startled. “What makes you think you interrupted something?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your aura when you opened the door. And also…” Ty Lee gently pressed another kiss to Suki’s fingers, taking a soft inhale through her nose.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took Suki a moment to understand, and when she did, she felt her cheeks grow hot. She wished she had her make-up on. “Oh...uh...right. Don’t worry about it. There hasn’t been much to interrupt lately…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee looked at her sympathetically, then got an idea. “Have you tried with Sokka? He’s cute!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Suki laughed, “I tried with Sokka. It...didn’t go well. I can’t stop thinking about...well, you know.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Ty Lee trailed off, thinking for a moment. “Azula never liked it when I touched her, either. I just thought it was her being...Azula, but now I think it might have been her way of trying to feel in control of everything. I think maybe all of it was her trying to feel in control of everything. Maybe that’s what you need. To feel in control again.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How do I do that?” Suki asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee shrugged. “I wish I knew. When I was trying to regain control of my life, I ran away to join the circus.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did that work?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It did!” Ty Lee’s smile faded. “For a while. Then Azula showed up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki squeezed Ty Lee’s hands comfortingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But being a Kyoshi Warrior is better anyway,” Ty Lee said cheerfully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad you think so.” Suki opened her arms for a hug that Ty Lee gladly accepted. “Thank you for coming.” <br/></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ty Lee, rather than crushing Suki like she usually did, melted into the embrace, nuzzling her head into the crook of Suki’s neck with a contented hum. “Thanks for not hating me,” she whispered back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki chuckled. “I don’t think I hated you even when we weren’t on the same side.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki lay awake that night staring up at the canopy above her bed. She and Ty Lee had spoken for hours, surprised to discover the sun had gone down without their noticing. As much as she wanted to, Suki didn’t go to Sokka’s suite. Despite their more intimate problems, his presence calmed her, but she needed to think. Unfortunately, that also wasn’t going well as her mind was too busy swimming with all the information she’d received rather than focusing on what to do with it. She felt restless. She considered going for a run to clear her head, but she didn’t want to risk being seen in her current mental state and having someone try to talk to her. She could run through a few practice sets, but when she sat up to do so, she immediately lost the will to get out of bed and flopped back down on the pillows. She let out a frustrated groan and threw an arm over her eyes. Her other hand clenched in the sheets.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, as if on its own, Suki’s hand untangled itself from the sheets and slid onto her stomach. Her heartbeat picked up. She moved her hand under her shirt to stroke across her abdomen, slowly traveling lower. She lost her nerve for a moment and her hand moved up to her breast instead. She groaned, kneading the soft flesh beneath her fingers. With a shaky breath, she let her hand move lower again, slipping the tips of her fingers into her pants and then finally the rest of her hand. While her arousal was minimal, she was still ashamed to find it there. Her heartbeat jumped as she thought of why it was there in the first place. She teased her fingers experimentally through her folds before settling on her clit. She allowed herself a satisfied moan and her other arm left her eyes to work her free hand over her breasts. Her back arched and she spread her legs wider for herself, kicking off the blanket.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She could get herself off like this, pretend Azula had never touched her. It was probably the safer route. And it felt better anyway. Why fix what wasn’t broken? If she hadn’t tested herself this morning, maybe she would have actually gotten satisfaction. And that was all she really wanted. It had been months, and even then she had not willingly found release since before her capture. If she just didn’t test herself… But, of course, she had to try. She couldn’t let Azula keep this control over her. Swallowing down her nervousness, she slid her fingers lower until they found her entrance. Taking a deep breath, she slipped one finger inside. She wasn’t sure if her moan was from the sensation or pure relief that at least that part was over. She thrust her finger a few times, grinding her palm over her clit and telling herself that she was touching herself on instinct and not because she was already well acquainted with what to do. She gulped as she pressed in a second finger, still not entirely used to it. Azula had never used more than one, but that was all she’d needed. Suki shoved that thought away, focusing on what she </span>
  <span>was doing. Her mouth opened and her breathing became short and quick. She leaned back harder on the pillows, moving her hips in pace with her thrusts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She could feel it. The pressure building. The heat coiling in her lower abdomen. Her flesh becoming more sensitive. So close. She spread her legs wider, pushing deeper. The hand at her breasts became more aggressive. She felt herself beginning to sweat from the tension and the heat. So close. Her eyes were squeezed shut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Let go. It’s ok. You’re safe. Just let go.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s face flashed behind her eyelids again and Suki froze. Her hand was still at her breast, her fingers still between her legs. She was panting. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Moonlight was pouring into the large, empty suite. Azula was not here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But if she was…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki took a shuddering breath. She leaned her head back against the pillows. Her eyes fell shut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If she was...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki thrust her fingers, again. Her orgasm was gone, but she was still so sensitive.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If Azula was here...she would probably do something horrible.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Like climb up onto the bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki moaned, thrusting her fingers harder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula would climb onto the bed. She’d rip Suki’s pants off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki kicked the fabric away aggressively before replacing her hands to their proper positions. Then, changing her mind, she relegated the hand between her legs back to her clit, tracing agonizingly slow circles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki would fight her, of course. She always did. She would never just give in to the princess -the former princess. But Azula would pin her down. Because she always did. And then she would put her hand between Suki’s legs and Suki would try to close them, but Azula would force them open. She’d laugh when she found how wet Suki was. It wasn’t Suki’s fault. Azula had conditioned her to react this way. She’d taken advantage of Suki’s natural reactions. And Azula knew that, but it wouldn’t stop her from mocking the warrior, sliding her fingers through the wet and swollen flesh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suki gasped as she allowed her fingers to graze over her clit. She was desperate for more pressure.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Azula would drag it out. Because things were different, now. The old deal was gone. Azula would prove this by raking those vicious nails down Suki’s chest until Suki was whimpering and squirming beneath her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki’s nails were not as long or sharp as Azula’s, but she made up for it by pressing harder until her skin burned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Only then, with Suki arching against her, pressing her sex into the princess’s taunting hand, would Azula enter her. She had nothing to “save” anymore, so she would enter her roughly, not taking any of the care she had before. But it didn’t matter. She was too well practiced with Suki’s body. She knew exactly where to touch her to force Suki to whimper and moan. Suki would try to keep quiet, but Azula would drag it out of her with overwhelmingly talented fingers and claws ripping at Suki’s chest and thighs. Suki would cry out, but Azula would silence her with a kiss. She’d never kissed Suki before and it would feel alien and forbidden, but she wouldn’t let Suki dwell on it and she’d suddenly capture Suki’s lower lip between her teeth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki bit down on her lip, not caring how she’d explain the wound in the morning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki would moan. And then, Azula would attack her throat. Not with the delicate licks and gentle nips she’d used before, but a vicious bite like the ones she’d covered Ty Lee in. (Ty Lee was not one to spare details.) High on her neck where she wouldn’t be able to hide it easily. Marking her. Hurting her. And Suki wouldn’t be able to take it anymore. Like she always did, she’d lose the battle, crying out and bucking against the princess, inner walls clamping down on those wicked fingers. Azula would stay inside her until she was done, pumping her hand slowly to drag it out until Suki was a panting, twitching mess below her once again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki struggled to catch her breath, staring up at the canopy. She was really sweating now. Her hand was drenched and she could only pray Ty Lee didn’t show up again. Her legs shook as she pulled her fingers free. She felt ashamed. She felt stupid and weak. But more than any of that, she felt euphoric. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took several minutes for her to come down enough to catch her breath and pull her pants back on. She threw the blanket over herself even though she still felt too hot for it and wrapped her arms around one of the pillows since Sokka wasn’t there and she certainly wasn’t going to go to him now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her chest suddenly tightened and she buried her face in the pillow, crushing it to her body. A low, confused groan escaped her before her body relaxed again. She took a deep breath and settled herself into a comfortable position. A calm she’d thought lost to her forever swept over </span>
  <span>her body and mind. As she started to drift off, her mind hit her with one final image: Azula’s prideful, victorious smirk. Suki frowned and shoved the image away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Bitch.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tyzula is my favorite ship, in case that wasn't clear, but it's very closely followed by Ty Lee/Suki. And yet, Ty Lee/ Suki is not in the tags, is it? Because I don't get nice things.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Power</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Azula grimaced as she rubbed her sore wrists. Ty Lee had unfastened her cuffs before leaving this time and she only now realized just how raw they had become after ages of near-constant restraint. But with the Kyoshi Warriors on duty and her behavior improved since her initial outbursts, the nurses had decided it would be alright if she spent some time unsupervised without being chained down. For now, at least. So long as she behaved herself. Then maybe, someday, she’d even be allowed to go outside from time to time. Before anyone came into the cell, she would be ordered to refasten the cuffs so that she wouldn’t be able to immediately attack whoever came through the door. The humiliation of it made her almost want to refuse Ty Lee’s offer of freedom in the first place, but the ability to finally move about freely became too tempting and she eventually relented. Not having to ask permission to use the toilet was shamefully liberating.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Being unbound didn’t leave her much to do, however. She had nothing to read, nothing to write on or with. The guards weren’t interested in talking to her. She could see the shadows of their feet below the door, but they didn’t respond to anything she said. She wondered if they’d been ordered not to. There wasn’t even a window to look out of. Zuko, in his infinite generosity, had stolen the sun from her. Probably in an attempt to keep her flames at least somewhat weaker if she did try to attack. She supposed she should be thankful he hadn’t taken heat from her as well. The room was colder than she would have preferred, but it was nothing compared to the frigid coolers at Boiling Rock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At first, she contented herself with walking slow circles around her cell. Her legs had become weak from so much disuse. The freedom did leave her feeling more calm and it made it easier to think. The only trouble was, she didn’t like what she’d been left to think about. And so, as she had for much of her life, she elected to work herself into exhaustion as often as she could. She tried running through some Firebending forms, without fire as per the rules, and found herself winded more quickly than she remembered ever being in her life. This only spurred her to work herself harder, faster. Her body slowly surrendered to the movements, remembering what it had been bred for, what it existed for. She thought of nothing but where to place her feet, how to move her arms, the angle of her back, the air entering her lungs and heating to an inferno. Even without using her fire, she was a living flame. Finally, collapsing on the floor, gasping for breath, unable to even lift a finger to defend herself if they came to execute her right then, she felt better.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just as she was starting to really relax into this exhilarating state, the window at the top of her cell door opened.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Cuffs,” barked the guard.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You could at least say please,” Azula said, still panting heavily.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Cuffs,” the guard ordered again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a groan, Azula rolled over and managed to pull herself onto her cot. They didn’t say she had to cuff herself lying down and Ty Lee would probably release her once she came in anyway so she sat at the head of the bed and snapped the restraints into place. It wasn’t an easy task. The chains didn’t allow her hands to meet once they were on so it required some cleverness and contortion on her part to get the second cuff latched. The metal irritated her abused skin. They had been using leather cuffs at first, but she’d accidentally set them on fire a few days into her imprisonment, leaving her wrists blistered for weeks. She missed the thick bandages now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ready?” the guard more snarled than asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula tugged at the chains a few times to prove that they really were locked and the door opened. It wasn’t Ty Lee. Azula pulled back, but the chain on her right wrist went taut, keeping her from turning fully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki, finally properly attired in her Kyoshi Warrior uniform, stepped into the cell, pulling the door shut behind her. The lock slid into place with an ominous click that seemed to echo in the barren room. There was a rattling sound as Azula tried to get the chain to offer more give. Suki held up the key to the cuffs. Azula regarded her warily for a moment, then offered up her wrists. Suki slid the key back into her pocket, unused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula frowned, letting her hands fall back onto the bed. So they were going to play a game.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The scratches on Suki’s chest stung against the fabric of her outfit. The sight that greeted her was simultaneously satisfying and frustrating. Azula had fallen very far since their last encounter. She appeared to have lost weight during her incarceration and her prison uniform hung loosely around her shoulders and hips. Her hair was still uneven; Zuko didn’t trust her to be near sharp objects, yet, even sedated. Her eyes were wide with not-quite-hidden fear and, most notably to Suki, her lipstick was gone, and with it her mask of maturity and authority. Suki could empathize with that. Her own lipstick was covering the bite mark on her lower lip. The Princess of the Fire Nation had been stripped of her imposing demeanor. The monster was gone. All that was left was a small, frightened girl. A girl Suki felt she’d met before, though only briefly. Suki wondered if she’d given Azula a similar impression when she’d first seen her again in prison. But as vindicating as it was to see her like this, this was not the Azula Suki had come to face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula was uncomfortable under Suki’s scrutinizing gaze, but she forced herself not to squirm or look away, even if the make-up did make her look like a demon. Azula didn’t know why it was giving her such an uneasy feeling. She’d seen the make-up before, on Suki herself no less. She’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>used </span>
  </em>
  <span>it. And it hadn’t bothered her on Ty Lee. But something about Suki today was sending a chill up her spine. Maybe it wasn’t the make-up at all. It might have been the look in those blue eyes as they raked over her body like dragon claws.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The silence was becoming unbearable. It became clear to Azula that Suki was waiting for her to say something. She didn’t want to give in, but the key resting in the warrior’s pocket held the clear message that if Azula wanted freedom, she would have to perform. The cuffs were very uncomfortable and her chest was still heaving from her earlier exertion. She had always hated being on this side of the game.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Here for your revenge at last,” Azula said. Suki didn’t respond. Not good enough. Azula opened her mouth to follow-up the statement, but suddenly couldn’t stop herself from laughing. She didn’t really understand what she found so funny, but something about the situation struck her as utterly absurd. With some difficulty, she regained control of herself, even more out of breath than before. Suki had not reacted to her outburst. Azula drew herself up, calling on whatever fragments of nobility she still possessed and injected all of the venom she could into her voice. “It’s so easy, isn’t it? Hating me. Wanting to hurt me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There she was. “Is that what I want?” Suki asked, taking a few steps closer to the bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula felt almost giddy as she realized what was so funny. “Of course it is. I took your control from you and you want it back. The only way to do that is to exert your power over me. But…” Azula couldn’t quite hold back the smile. “But I don’t think you will. I don’t think you can. You may have the power to deny me my freedom, but you can’t take your revenge and really take back what’s rightfully yours. You think you’re too good, too humane, like your Avatar.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki locked eyes with Azula, keeping her voice steady. “Are you sure?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s smile faltered. Gold eyes filled with uncertainty as they gazed deep into blue and Suki knew what they were looking for. She remembered searching for the same thing. But Suki hadn’t found it and, this time, neither would Azula.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you really think,” Suki stepped forward until her knees hit the side of the bed, “a monster like you,” Azula shrank back, but the chain held her in place, “deserves mercy?” Azula’s breathing sped up as Suki climbed onto the bed. “That’s why you did it, right?” Suki could feel the bed vibrating as Azula trembled. “Because you’re a monster.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki grabbed Azula’s waist and dragged her down onto the bed, forcing her onto her back. The chains twisted, crossing Azula’s arms over her head. Azula yelped in a mixture of surprise and pain. The metal bit horribly into her wrists and the strain on her shoulders was agonizing. She was so caught off-guard that she didn’t even process what was happening until Suki forced herself between her legs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Get off me! How dare you? Get off me!” She tried to struggle and kick, but her arms were pulled too tight and Suki’s grip on her hips was impossible to break out of. Exhausting herself before was a stupid idea. “NO!” Azula screamed as she felt Suki’s hand grab the waistband of her pants.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki froze, but didn’t release her. “Why shouldn’t I?” she asked. Her voice was low and threatening and the question seemed to suck all the air out of the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula didn’t know when she’d started crying, but she could feel the tears running down her face. She was panting so hard it was difficult to speak and when she could speak, she didn’t know what to say. There were plenty of reasons, surely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why should you be spared? You know it’s what you deserve.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No no no! It wasn’t fair!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s going to happen. You always knew.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If you have nothing to say for yourself,” Suki began sliding the fabric over Azula’s hips, “will you lay still, or should I chi block you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It was the only way!” Azula said so fast she wasn’t even sure she was coherent, but Suki stopped, again, the waistband having barely met the swell of Azula’s hips. Azula swallowed hard. She could sense her mother just beyond her field of vision. “It was...going to happen...Someone was going to…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And you decided that someone should be you,” Suki interrupted, pulling herself up to glare straight down at Azula, bracing her hands on either side of the prisoner’s body.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula shook her head quickly. “No. No! You don’t understand what could have happened; what they would have done to you. You didn’t….You didn’t deserve that. I know what I did to you was...wrong. But as long as I was doing it, they weren’t. Not to you, not to any of you.” Suki’s brow knit together as she processed Azula’s words. For an instant, Azula saw a flash of humanity and dared to hope. Suki noticed and did not like that. She moved her hands to Azula’s shoulders, pushing them down. Azula whimpered and squirmed against the added strain. Her joints still ached from fighting herself in the straight jacket.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You think that absolves you of anything? You think that makes you deserve better?” Suki spat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula shook her head again. Fresh tears filled her eyes. She was afraid. Terrified. She didn’t think she’d ever even feared her father as much as she feared this girl above her. The tears blurred her vision, blotting out the features of the face until she could only make out that demonic make-up. It was like the spirit of Avatar Kyoshi herself had manifested to take vengeance for all the humiliation her warriors had suffered because of Azula. She blinked the awful vision away, but reality was no comfort.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t do it. Please. I’m sorry.” Mother was laughing at her, mocking her for begging. For being weak. She was shaking. Her ears were ringing. “Please,” she begged again. Her voice was so small and trembling so badly that she almost couldn’t recognize it as her own. Putting her own voice to the words she’d heard so often ringing in her ears left a sour taste in her mouth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula was right, again, of course. It was easy to hate her and it was easy to want to hurt her. Suki didn’t like how easy it was. And she didn’t like that Azula’s explanation wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>entirely</span>
  </em>
  <span> without merit. She didn’t want to think about how much worse things could have gotten at Boiling Rock if Sokka hadn’t shown up when he did. But it did nothing to quiet her anger. She heard Azula stifle another whimper as Suki’s fingers dug harder into her shoulders. Suki knew she should end the game and let her go. She’d won. Azula was beaten and begging, the tides thoroughly turned against her. There was nothing more to be done.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did it feel good?” Suki whispered so quietly she almost couldn’t hear herself. The question startled her. She hadn’t meant to ask it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s eyes went wider still. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What you did. Did it feel good?” Suki’s voice cracked. She held Azula’s gaze as though she could force the question into her mind and consume her with it. Azula’s mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. “Answer me,” Suki breathed insistently, not raising her voice beyond the whisper of the initial question. The silence in the cell was crushing, but she refused to break it. “And don’t lie. Don’t you dare lie.” She knew the answer, but she had to hear it. She didn’t know why, but she had to. She slid her hands off Azula’s shoulders and trailed them down her sides and finally up under her shirt and across the hollowed plane of her stomach until Azula trembled under her touch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It felt suicidal to answer. Azula’s natural instinct was to lie, but she didn’t feel like she could. She prided herself on being an excellent liar, but somehow she knew the warrior would be able to tell. Suki’s hands slid up over her ribcage, stopping just below her breasts, pausing when she stiffened, before moving to her sides and gently scratching down, blunt nails catching on her jutting hip bones; a warning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Azula groaned, closing her eyes tight, not wanting to see the consequences of her answer. “Yes, it felt good.” She thought back and tried to remember what it was like, having all that control, making the warrior cry and squirm for her. It had felt good. Of course it had. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She</span>
  </em>
  <span> had felt good. Not now, though. Even the memories weren’t so satisfying now. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even though she’d expected them, even though they were spoken with regret and shame and not malice, the words twisted the anger in Suki’s stomach. Azula instinctively cowered as much as she could away from her, as if she could sense Suki’s rage. Suki was reminded of how easy it would be to lash out now and truly hurt her. The way Suki had her pinned with her arms twisted was stretching her ribcage, suppressing her diaphragm and making it difficult for her to take a proper breath, stifling her ability to Firebend. And even if she tried, Suki could put an end to it in seconds. If Azula screamed, no one would come. No one would care. The realization of just how helpless Azula was to stop her made Suki’s heart flutter for a moment in sympathetic panic and she had to stop herself from quailing back in fear. When her heart stilled, again, the haze of anger had dissipated. In its place, Suki felt a stirring of pity. Trapped beneath her, tears streaming down her face, so thoroughly terrified of the thing she was convinced she couldn’t possibly escape, the prisoner didn’t make for much of a monster.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula didn’t dare open her eyes, didn’t bother trying to fight. She waited. Warm hands left her skin and a chill of panic took their place. Suddenly, the tension in one of her shoulders released, then the other. Azula opened her eyes. Suki had unlocked the cuffs. When Suki climbed off of her, Azula hesitated, then cautiously sat up, eyeing the warrior timidly. Suki met her eyes and she quickly averted her gaze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold out your wrists,” Suki ordered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula did, staring at the fresh lacerations. The sight seemed to make the pain worse. Suki took a small pot and some bandages out of her pocket. She smeared the salve from the pot onto the bandages and then wrapped them around each of Azula’s wrists. Almost immediately, the flesh began to feel soothed and Azula couldn’t stop the tiny sigh of relief that escaped her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki stuck a finger under Azula’s chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes. “I’m going to get your dinner. I’ll leave you unchained. You’re going to behave,” she said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula nodded slowly. As Suki turned to leave, she realized the game was over. Shocked, Azula spoke before she could think better of it. “You….you aren’t going to…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Rape you?” Suki turned back to Azula, who winced.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula’s eyes were guarded, but Suki could see the remnants of fear, the confusion and utter disbelief. She could tell Azula knew the answer, but she also needed to hear it. Vengefully, Suki wanted to deny her, but she knew she couldn’t, for both their sakes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Suki said, “Never. And neither will anyone else. I’ll make sure of it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azula lowered her eyes to the floor. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suki didn’t respond. The lock on the door slid open when she knocked and she left the cell.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read all of this. I'm not much of a writer, but I hope you enjoyed my first fanfiction. If you have any advice, criticism, or praise, I'm happy to hear it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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